|
CONTACT: Julie Grace, Badger Institute policy analyst, at 330-410-6212 or at [email protected]
Occupational licensing has exploded in recent years, and lawmakers are lobbied heavily every time a new license is proposed. Since objective information can be hard to come by during these debates, the Badger Institute and the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty today released “A Primer on Occupational Licensing” to provide policymakers and the public with research and data detailing how licensing affects Wisconsin workers and consumers.
 Research shows that occupational licensing restricts employment opportunities for job-seekers and increases costs for consumers. Yet the number of these government-mandated credentials continues to rise. Wisconsin now issues over 1 million occupational licenses for 280 different credential types.
“The current trend of creating a new occupational license every time one is sought by an industry hurts Wisconsin’s consumers and aspiring workers,” said Julie Grace, Badger Institute policy analyst and co-author of the primer. “Licensing has a real-world and often detrimental impact on Wisconsin residents and the state economy. The primer can be a valuable resource for legislators tasked with making these important decisions.”
“For too long, licensing advocates have worked overtime to convince policymakers that Wisconsin needs more regulation and more red tape,” said Collin Roth, policy analyst and director of communication for WILL. “Our primer will provide lawmakers and activists with the arguments and research to make the case that the current licensing system needs urgent reform.”
The primer also offers less-burdensome alternatives to licensing and options for reform, including sunrise and sunset reviews, and universal licensing recognition.
Both the Badger Institute and the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty have researched and reported on occupational licensing policies in the state in recent years. Read more on their work here (Badger) and here (WILL).
Read the entire primer on occupational licensing here.
|
