10,000 Arizonans Free to Work Thanks to Goldwater’s Reform

Government red tape makes it difficult—if not impossible—for some Americans to get to work. But five years after Arizona enacted the Goldwater Institute’s universal recognition of occupational licenses reform in Arizona, over 10,000 professionals can now practice their profession without having to jump through onerous government-imposed hurdles to do it.

In what the Wall Street Journal dubbed “Arizona’s Licensing Liberation,” the state in 2019 adopted Goldwater’s revolution law, which created a streamlined pathway to licensure for America’s skilled workers. One in four jobs nationwide requires an occupational license—a government permission slip to work in fields ranging from floristry to hairdressing. Those licenses cost significant time and money to obtain, and when a worker moves to a new state, they often must go through the entire process again. But Goldwater’s universal recognition reform allows skilled workers to use their out-of-state experience to quickly obtain a license to work in their new state.

Arizona’s landmark reform set the stage for a national movement, with dozens of states undertaking efforts to advance laws to cut the regulatory red tape ensnaring workers and keeping them out of work. In total, a whopping twenty-three states have enacted versions of universal recognition to benefit military families and other professionals—most recently Florida, Louisiana and Nebraska in 2024. Not to mention, the myriad other states preparing to consider the reform next year as well.”

But this success is not limited to just workers—it’s their families too. If an experienced professional is not awaiting review for an exam that they’ve already taken in another state or enduring arbitrary training coursework for a profession that they’ve worked in for years, then they can bring home the bacon without waiting for a thumbs up from government bureaucrats.

Moreover, the communities these workers live in absorb the economic advantages of specialized and crucial professions, as a Goldwater Institute analysis found last year. Consider the nearly 570 physicians safely licensed by the Arizona Medical Board who offer localized medical care to their neighbors. Or consider, that the Common Sense Institute estimated universal recognition would increase Arizona’s GDP by $1.5 billion over 10 years.

The Goldwater Institute celebrates this momentous milestone—five years of universal recognition in Arizona—and looks forward to what the future will hold. We are especially grateful to the Institute for Justice for its partnership over the years on license recognition, as well as all of the supportive state groups and legislators who worked by our side to promote this crucial reform. Without their tireless efforts, thousands of workers would still be wading through bureaucratic red tape, waiting for a government permission slip to provide for themselves and their families.

You can read more about Goldwater’s universal recognition of occupational licenses reform here.

Taylor Walker is the National Policy Initiatives Associate at the Goldwater Institute.