A new law in Utah transfers sunrise review authority from a reviewer in the legislative branch to a dedicated Office of Professional Licensure Review within the Department of Commerce. The Office will review any proposed new occupational licenses and provide independent research and analysis to the Utah legislature. The Office will also review every existing occupational license program at least once every ten years to determine if regulations are still necessary for public protection.
March 30, 2022
March 02, 2022
Institute for Justice releases study about sunrise reviews
The Institute for Justice, a non-profit, public interest law firm, has released a new study, Too Many Licenses? Government “Sunrise” Reviews Cast Doubt on Barriers to Work. From the IJ: "It’s a systematic survey of state sunrise laws, plus an analysis of nearly 500 sunrise reviews. It also features interviews with state officials who do the reviews. The report has a lot to say about when licensing is a good idea and when it isn’t. We also created an online archive of nearly 500 reviews covering 200+ occupations, providing a rich data source for those interested in particular fields."
March 17, 2021
Vermont House committee considers contractor registry
Vermont's House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs has passed a bill that would establish a contractor registry. A prior sunrise review by the Vermont Office of Professional Regulation recommended registration. The bill under consideration would require biennial registration for contractors undertaking building projects over $2500 and maintenance of minimum liability insurance coverage.
February 18, 2021
Bills in Washington consider easing licensing requirements
One bill under consideration in the Washington House would authorize the Department of Licensing to "develop a competency-based assessment that allows individuals to demonstrate proficiency of the knowledge and skills otherwise required by a professional licensing examination." The competency-based licensing requirement could be any combination of training, experience, testing or observation. Another bill would allow a temporary license for out-of-state workers while they complete skills assessments. Another bill would establish evaluation criteria to determine whether currently unlicensed professions should be regulated, for the sole purpose of protecting the public interest.
February 06, 2020
Wisconsin bill proposes time window for sunrise reports
An amended bill AB-605 being considered in the Wisconsin Assembly would set a 270-day window for the Legislative Audit Bureau to complete a sunrise report evaluating any proposals to require new licenses for occupations. State representatives opposed to the bill warn that the time window could result in licensing bills intorduced later in the legislative session "timing out" before a sunrise report is completed.
October 10, 2019
CSG hosts webinar on sunrise/sunset reviews
The Council of State Governments will host a webinar on November 5 related to occupational licensing sunrise and sunset reviews, highlighting several state approaches. The presentation will discuss the rationale for and outcomes of having such an approach to evaluating the necessity of occupational regulation.
Florida governor renews call for occupational licensing reform
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has announced his 2020 occupational licensing reform objectives. One bill would allow an occupational license from one Florida county to be valid in all Florida counties. Another bill would create sunset legislation to require the Legislature to re-authorize licensing requirements on a regular basis. The Governor would also like to see a "comprehensive bill to limit or remove unnecessary occupational licensing requirements," including prohibiting boards from denying a license based solely on student loan default.
May 22, 2019
Alabama introduces Sunrise Act
A bill under consideration in Alabama would add a sunrise provision to the Alabama Sunset Committee, reviewing a review of any new licensing requirements. Any new licensing proposal would have to:
- Demonstrate that it wouldn’t have an unreasonable effect on job creation or job retention, or place unreasonable access or restrictions on the ability of individuals who are practicing the profession.
- Explain why the public cannot be effectively protected by other means.
- And provide documentation of the nature and extent of the harm to the public caused by the unregulated practice of the profession or occupation.
The Alabama Policy Institute has recently released a report indicating that over 21% of the state's labor force is subject to occupational licensing with an estimated initial cost of $122 million.
February 20, 2019
Ohio: sunset review law signed
Ohio's governor has signed a law requiring review of every occupational license requirement in the state over the next six years. The law automatically repeals any licensing laws that are not specifically renewed or modified to a lesser type of regulation. The law also creates a sunrise review process for new licensing laws and requires the use of the least restrictive form of regulation.
May 08, 2018
Illinois lawmakers consider Regulatory Sunrise Review Act
A bill filed in the Illinois Senate would require an independent report about the necessity of new professional regulations and licensing requirements before they could become law. Reports would have to address "the social and economic costs and benefits of licensure," provide specific examples of any harm or threat to the public, and look at the impact on consumer prices and the labor market.
