Previous WILL research found that Wisconsin’s burdensome licensing laws resulted in less employment in low and middle income jobs
September 29, 2017 – Milwaukee, WI – The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty applauded the advance of important occupational licensing reforms from the Senate Committee on Public Benefits, Licensing and State-Federal Relations Thursday. By a vote of 3-2, SB 288 and SB 296 were approved and are now available for scheduling for a floor vote in the Wisconsin State Senate.
AB 369/SB 288 proposes the creation of a Licensing Review Council to review and recommend reforms to occupational licensing. AB 370/SB 296 would create a self-certification registry with the Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services by providing the title “state certified” to an individual if they complete a certification through a private entity recognized by the state. DSPS would allow individuals in good standing with private accreditation entities for professions that are not currently licensed in Wisconsin to receive the “state certified” title.
“It’s encouraging to see the legislature advance important occupational licensing reforms towards a floor vote,” said Collin Roth, Research Fellow at the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty. “If adopted, these bills would serve as a crucial step towards the goal of balancing economic freedom and opportunity with state interests in health and public safety.”
Previous WILL research found that Wisconsin’s burdensome licensing laws resulted in less employment in low and middle income jobs. Since 1996, the problem has been growing worse. Over the past two decades, the number of licenses in Wisconsin have grown by 84% and now affect more than 440,000 workers.
The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) currently regulates around 240 different licenses.