March 12, 2020
By Heather Curry
Utah has become the
latest state to follow the Goldwater Institute’s national lead in breaking down
barriers to work.
Across the country,
licensed professionals who relocate across state lines are often required to
complete additional training or testing simply to obtain a license to work in
their new home state. These extra requirements frequently force applicants to
spend more time and more money just to be approved for a license to do a job
they were already doing safely and productively elsewhere. Fortunately, more
and more states are starting to recognize that this is a costly and unneeded
barrier to work for countless Americans. In 2019, Arizona became the first
state in the nation to recognize out-of-state occupational licenses.
Shortly thereafter, Pennsylvania followed suit, signing its own recognition
bill into law. This landmark reform has garnered a groundswell of support
across the country. From coast to coast, 20 additional states have introduced
their own version of this Goldwater Institute-inspired reform.
Now, Utah is the latest state to make it easier for residents to get to work. Introduced by Senator Curtis Bramble and supported by Utah’s own Libertas Institute and Americans for Prosperity, Utah Senate Bill 23 passed through both houses of the legislature with overwhelming support and awaits the signature of Utah Governor Gary Herbert. Upon passage of the bill, Connor Boyack, president at Libertas Institute, commented, “This is an important step to decreasing arbitrary barriers to work that government has long put in the path of our hardworking neighbors and friends. We’re excited to add Utah to the short list of states that have made this important step, and look forward to helping more states jump on board.”
Modeled after Arizona’s
law, SB 23 directs Utah’s licensing entities to approve an application for a
license to an individual who has held a license in good standing for at least
one year at a similar scope of practice as the license he or she currently
holds. This reform empowers Utah’s licensing boards to concentrate their area
of consideration to whether an individual has already been performing similar
duties under their out-of-state license. If so, then there is no need to delay
in issuing a license. Boards no longer need to devote unnecessary time to
comparing education or training requirements across all 50 states, and
applicants are no longer required to duplicate testing or training.
Utah’s licensing reform
benefits not only workers and their families, but also employers and consumers
in the state who will benefit from the increased options and price competition
that accompany an influx of skilled labor. As America’s workforce becomes
increasingly mobile, states are finding themselves in direct competition when
it comes to attracting skilled workers to fill jobs in a variety of fields.
With this reform, Utah is signaling that it values the time and effort already
invested by America’s skilled licensed professionals and welcomes them to work
in the state.
Arizona’s universal
recognition law may be less than a year old, but even early data shows that it
is already benefiting workers. Since the passage of Arizona’s universal
recognition law, hundreds
of professionals have applied for and been granted a license to work in
their field of choice in Arizona, from cosmetology to dentistry. These hundreds
of success stories represent more than the successful implementation of a
transformative idea: They represent the families, careers, and communities that
benefit when government steps out of the way of Americans who are skilled,
ready, and willing to work. Once signed into law, Utah’s universal recognition
reform will open the same door for these kinds of opportunities in the Beehive
State.
Heather Curry is the
Director of Strategic Engagement at the Goldwater Institute.
