July 3, 2019
By Heather Curry
In an exciting development for worker freedom, Governor Tom Wolf
of Pennsylvania followed Arizona’s lead and signed a bipartisan reform that breaks down
unnecessary regulatory barriers that keep people from getting a job. Pennsylvania
is now the second state in the nation to recognize out-of-state occupational
licenses, following the passage of landmark
legislation championed by the Goldwater Institute and signed into Arizona law
earlier this year.
Here’s why this reform is so critical: Americans put in time,
money, and effort to obtain a government license so they can work in their field
of choice. But if you hold an occupational license in one state and then move
to a new state, you’re required to put in even more time and spend more money
on training—just to practice a profession you have already been safely
practicing elsewhere in your new home.
As in Arizona, Pennsylvania’s new law (HB 1172) knocks down those
senseless barriers to work. Licensing boards in Pennsylvania are now required
to issue occupational licenses to those who have met certain criteria, rather
than asking established professionals to complete a new set of state-specific
requirements. Applicants must already possess a comparable state license or
certification in their field, be in good standing without any disciplinary
actions, and not have committed any actions which might warrant refusal of a
Pennsylvania license. If there are additional profession-specific requirements
that must be met, applicants are to be issued provisional licenses so they can
work while completing the process.
These reforms are especially beneficial to military family members
who relocate frequently and often encounter costly and time-consuming
additional requirements as they seek to re-license in each new state during the
course of a career. By recognizing the licensing qualifications and years of
prior experience held by professionals, Pennsylvania has sent a strong message
that it values the time, dedication, and professional experience of military
families and civilians.
At the Goldwater
Institute, we’ve long advocated for occupational licensing reform, including
universal recognition. In 2017, we took on the case of behavioral health
counselor Annette Stanley, who sought an Arizona license when she moved there
from Kansas. Because Stanley had owned her own practice, the state of Arizona
would not recognize hours accumulated for her Kansas license. Under new reforms
developed by the Goldwater Institute, Stanley was able to ask the state Board
of Behavioral Health Examiners to review the regulations keeping her from
getting her Arizona license, and the Board granted her petition to allow her to practice in Arizona
and changed its rules to allow others in similar circumstances to also do so.
The success of this important reform in Arizona and Pennsylvania
demonstrates a growing bipartisan interest in protecting the right of American
workers to earn a living no matter where they may choose to live and work. The
Goldwater Institute’s model bill provides a framework for other states looking
to welcome America’s skilled military and civilian workforce with open arms.
To learn more about the Goldwater Institute’s effort to support
Americans’ freedom to work, please visit In Defense of
Liberty.
Heather Curry is
the Director of Strategic Engagement
at the Goldwater Institute.
