Arizona has become the first in the country to recognize occupational licenses from other states, ending a redundant recertification process that labor analysts have critiqued as a drag on lower-income workers and local economies. Lawmakers in Florida, a state that competes directly with Arizona for occupational workers, are considering similar legislation. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, signed House Bill 2569 into law on Wednesday. The legislation removes barriers for employment in the rapidly growing state by providing universal recognition of occupational licenses for anyone becoming an Arizona resident who held a similar license for at least a year in another state. Analysts estimate that the law will affect workers in hundreds of occupations, such as funeral directors and hairdressers. “Too often, our government has acted as an adversary, not an ally, for people who want to work. Well today, those days are over,” Mr. Ducey said during a bill signing at the state Capitol, which included a ceremonial red-tape cutting. Democrats expressed outrage last week when the state’s Republican-controlled House passed the bill. Some argued that Arizona’s standards for occupational licenses could be weakened if the state accepts workers who have undergone less-stringent certification processes for credentials. “Why should we dumb down our standards?” Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley, Tucson Democrat, told Reason TV, the broadcast arm of the libertarian Reason Foundation. “I see this as sort of deregulation for the sake of deregulation.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, licensing has expanded across the country. Roughly 25% of U.S. workers were required to have some sort of license in 2015, up from 5% in 1950. Libertarian economists have long viewed Arizona, the nation’s fourth fastest growing state, as inhospitable for new arrivals seeking to set up small businesses that often require certification. A study by the nonprofit libertarian Institute for Justice found that Arizona required licenses for workers in 68 of 102 low-income occupations, such as barbers, cosmetologists and dog groomers. Workers in those jobs were required to log hundreds of hours of practice and take exams to obtain their licenses, which cost an average of $612. The institute concluded that Arizona’s occupational licensing regulations were America’s fourth most “burdensome,” behind Hawaii, Nevada and Colorado. Mr. Ducey, a second-term governor and former CEO of ice cream vendor Cold Stone Creamery, has made slashing the notorious red tape a centerpiece of his administration. He calls the efforts common sense. “We have licensing for yoga instructors. I think that’s insane,” the governor said in support of a deregulation bill during his first term in office. According to The Arizona Republic, yoga instructors widely supported Mr. Ducey. “These burdens hit low-income workers the hardest: over 65 percent of low-income occupations in Arizona require a license, and those jobs have some of the heaviest financial and training-based requirements when compared to other states,” Stephen Slivinski, a senior research fellow at the Center for the Study of Economic Liberty at Arizona State University, wrote Tuesday in the school’s Arizona Impact blog. Licensing regulations are traditionally heralded as safeguards for consumers, but studies have found “no significant difference in public health and safety outcomes” among states with varying rules, Mr. Slivinski said. Meanwhile, Florida lawmakers last week advanced from a committee a 120-page bill aimed at loosening or eliminating occupational license requirements for roughly 30% of the state’s workforce. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has called deregulation of licenses “a top priority of my administration.” Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters Copyright © 2021 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.<doc-sep>Gov. Doug Ducey shakes hands with the sponsor of House Bill 2569, Rep. Warren Petersen, R-District 12. Arizona now is the first state to provide universal recognition of occupational licenses granted by any state. (Photo by Lurissa Carbajal/Cronkite News) PHOENIX – Gov. Doug Ducey on Wednesday signed House Bill 2569, making Arizona the first state to recognize out-of-state occupational licenses across the board. Ducey, who was driven to the signing ceremony at the Capitol in a U-Haul truck, said the law will remove barriers to employment for about 100,000 people who are expected to move to Arizona in 2019. House Bill 2569 allows a person who has held an out-of-state occupational license for at least one year to practice their profession in Arizona as long as they abide by the outlined stipulations, including being a current certified or licensed professional in good standing, and do not have any pending complaints, allegations or investigations relating to unprofessional conduct. The law will affect industries that require a license to operate, including health care professions, teaching, accounting and engineering. Ducey, who has long championed deregulation, contends that a person’s skills are not diminished just by crossing state lines. The change will allow those who move from other states to “work faster and without all the red tape,” he said. Opponents say licenses ensure that professionals are trained to do their jobs safely, and they worry that newcomers in some fields may arrive from states with easier licensing requirements. Licensing generally comes with an education requirement, testing, paperwork and fees. Differences in requirements from one state to the next can make it expensive and time consuming to work when a licensed professional moves to another state. “Thirty-five percent of spouses of military have a license in a field that requires a license,” said Greg Debernard, vice president for USAA Insurance, who was at the Capitol for the signing. “So when they come to Arizona, having their reciprocity gives them the opportunity to have that license transfer and start working immediately without having to go through relicensing.” When the bill was narrowly approved in February by a 4-3 vote of the House Regulatory Affairs Committee, Democratic Reps. Amish Shah and Raquel Terán of Phoenix and Pamela Powers Hannley of Tucson voted no because of the bill’s broadness. Powers Hannley opposed it because the minimum duration of having a license was only one year, and what she called a lack of clarity in the residence requirement. “We have shortages in teaching, medicine and nursing; we know that,” she said. “But we don’t have shortages across the board. I agree with the limited scope, but to open it up to pretty much all occupations across the board is a little too much.” Critics also say HB 2569 is a one-way deal, creating issues of reciprocity. “In this case, however, it’s not reciprocity because anybody else would be able to come to the state of Arizona, but Arizona professionals would not be able to use their licenses in other states,” Shah said. On Wednesday, Ducey said universal licensing is the next step towards ensuring opportunity for all in Arizona. “You don’t lose your skills simply because you pack up a U-Haul truck and make the decision to move to Arizona,” he said. Connect with us on Facebook.<doc-sep>
PHOENIX — Arizona will now recognize professional licenses issued by other states after Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation into law Wednesday. House Bill 2569 provides universal recognition for occupational licenses in an effort to remove barriers for employment. Arizona is the first state in the nation to allow for the broad recognition, according to the governor’s office. Ducey was joined by Arizona state Rep. Warren Petersen and other local and community leaders in signing the bill. “Too often, our government has acted as an adversary, not an ally, for people who want to work. Well today, those days are over,” Ducey told attendees at the state Capitol. “We believe (the law) could be a model for the country on how to unleash economic opportunity and how Republicans and Democrats can work together to get things done.” Arizona is open for opportunity. That from ⁦@dougducey⁩ after signing a bill to allow people with occupational licenses from other states to use them in Arizona. ⁦@KTAR923⁩ pic.twitter.com/LaYtD6U6h1 — Griselda Zetino (@GriseldaZetino) April 10, 2019 Arizona will automatically grant a professional license to someone who becomes an Arizona resident and had a similar license for at least a year in another state without disciplinary action. The proposal passed the Senate on an 18-11 vote April 4, following earlier approval by the House. All Republicans and a handful of minority Democrats supported the plan. Opponents were concerned another state’s lower standards could affect Arizona’s professional standards. Republican Sen. Heather Carter said she was assured medical professionals could not expand their scope of practice above what their previous license approved. Ducey first called for the measure in his January State of the State address, saying professionals moving to Arizona should not face job barriers. The Republican governor has aggressively attacked the state’s professional licensing boards. Licensing generally comes with an education requirement, paperwork and fees. Differences in requirements from one state to the next can make it expensive and time consuming to work when a licensed professional moves to another state. Arizona’s licensing boards can test only for information specific to Arizona law. It applies almost universally to the long list of licensed professions in industries including health care, dentistry, construction, real estate, hair care and funeral embalming. The only exceptions are lawyers, security guards and private investigators. Similar legislation to cut licenses for hair stylists in Arizona who only provide blow-drying, curling and shampoo services has been sent to Ducey’s desk. The so-called “dry bar” bill passed the House on a 31-26 party-line vote Tuesday. The Senate had approved Scottsdale Republican Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita’s legislation in February with a bipartisan 21-9 vote. It drew strong opposition from licensed cosmetologists and their state association, who argued that even though the shops don’t cut or dye hair, licensing is needed for health and safety. KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Griselda Zetino and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Follow @KTAR923