Posted on 08/17/2016 6:08:08 AM PDT by MichCapCon
If you want to work in Michigan, you need to get a license — at least to work in one of 215 professions the state of Michigan licenses. These licenses, which typically require education, training, exams, state fees, or all four, apply to work ranging from acupuncturist through wholesale potato dealer. Even taxidermists and funeral directors are subject to state requirements.
But in 2011, Gov. Rick Snyder promised change.
Upon entering office, he issued an executive order to create the Office of Regulatory Reinvention. The governor told this new office to “simplify Michigan's regulatory environment by reducing obsolete, unnecessary, and burdensome rules that are limiting economic growth.”
While there has been some progress, five years later, Michigan occupational licensing laws remain a much-overlooked barrier to personal prosperity.
Since 2011, the office has repealed or rescinded 3,958 rules and regulations. But only 284 of these touched on occupational licensing, and only 38 of Michigan’s 202 occupational licenses were affected at all. Mostly, these rule changes were minor tweaks rather than repeals of regulations.
A study by Morris Kleiner, published by the Brookings Institution, cited evidence that “standard economic models imply that the restrictions from occupational licensing can result in up to 2.85 million fewer jobs nationwide, with an annual cost to consumers of $203 billion.”
The Obama administration also acknowledged the need for reducing the footprint of occupational licenses across the country. In its report, "Occupational Licenses: A Framework for Policymakers," the administration detailed how occupational licenses drive up costs, reduce employment and wages, and injure low-income workers. Two occupations mentioned in the study are nurse practitioners and dental hygienists. It concludes: "More restrictive state licensing of nurse practitioners raises the price of a well-child medical exam by 3 to 16 percent, and imposing greater licensing requirements on dental hygienists and assistants increases the average price of a dental visit by 7 to 11 percent.”
The Mackinac Center recently reviewed state occupational licensing laws and found that the average license fee costs a worker $133, with the master plumber’s license costing the most, at $375. By comparison, the state fee for a medical doctor is $150. Contractors, who typically create jobs by starting businesses and hiring employees, bear one of the largest burdens, with many paying up to $300.
Workers are also required to take one or more tests, and the average test fee is another $183, raising the average license price to $312. (This number does not include the cost of training or fulfilling education requirements). There are dozens of professions for which the cost is over $500, with more than a third of those costing over $1,000. At $3,460, the chiropractic license is the most expensive.
Occupational licensure is not a partisan issue. The Obama administration said it well in its white paper: "The practice of licensing can impose substantial costs on job seekers, consumers, and the economy more generally." Michigan policymakers looking for a cost-free way to remove obstacles to state economic growth would do well to take another look at occupational licensure.
Hell, licenses?
The Workmen’s comp alone is enough to put you out of business.
Almost all licenses were lobbied in to protect those who already were engaged in that profession. IOW create a government protected monopoly and restrict your competition.
Another revenue-raising scheme for the state.
Some states even require licenses for hair braiding or body hair removal!
IIRC, here in FL you have to have a ‘dealers’ license to sell used cars if you sell more than 3 in a years time!..............
That and a way for businesses to limit their competition through government.......................
200?? Is that all? Come to Florida, we’ve got about 2000.
Exactly so, but some of these ‘licenses’ are just a result of bureaucrat empire building which is always a factor. A bureaucrat wants to increase his/her power and the only way to do that is to enact rules that expand it. I have heard that in NYC you have to have a license to WALK DOGS...................
Heck, we have a ‘DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION’ just to keep track of all of them!
From Used Car Dealers and Hair Braiders to Doctors and Nurses....................
From FL DBPR Website:
Division of Professions
Division Information
The Division of Professions is responsible for the licensing of over 434,000 professionals. These professions include: architects and interior designers, asbestos consultants, athlete agents, auctioneers, barbers, building code administrators and inspectors, community association managers, construction contractors, cosmetology, electrical contractors, employee leasing companies, geologists, home inspectors, landscape architects, mold assessors and remediators, pilot commissioners and veterinarians.
Five Executive Directors oversee the professional boards. The Board Executive Director serves as a liaison between the board and the department and is responsible for ensuring the effective operation of board meetings and board business.
Talent Agencies:
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/talent/index.html
BTW...do you really think any hypothetical savings would ever be passed along, if occ license was eliminated?
License Categories:
Cosmetology
Specialty Registrations:
• Manicuring/Pedicuring/Nail Extensions
• Facials
Other Registrations:
• Hair Braiding
• Hair Wrapping
• Cosmetology Salons
• Specialty Salons
• Mobile Cosmetology Salons
• Body Wrapping
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/cosmo/index.html
We got change, all right. I have a PE license in Michigan. I just renewed my license last week. The fee went UP and they added 15 hours every two years of "Continuing Education" coursework. Worse yet, coursework that you take at work does NOT count. So, you have to sit through irrelevant coursework elsewhere, even though you are remaining state-of-the-art at your primary occupation.
I’m for licensing for body hair removal - I’m for licensing of any operator who has the potential to harm the human body. Body hair removal seems like a silly thing to license but a lot of people have ended up getting nasty infections (blood infections, not just skin infections) from hair removal. I found this out when researching infections from nail salon treatments. My daughter went to a licensed nail salon (in an upscale area) for a pedicure and ended up with an infection in her big toe that didn’t respond to antibiotics. She had to have the nail removed and it may never grow back. Licensing obviously doens’t prevent harm from being done, but if obtaining a license requires the operator to pass a test about cleanliness/health issues, that’s a good thing.
You do realize you destroyed your own argument don’t you?
Wholesale potato dealers need to be licensed?
Who knew? Who could have guessed?
I’m a registered Landscape Architect. Michigan doesn’t require continuing education for some reason. I am licensed in a couple other states too an do need CE. The premise of licensure is to protect the general well being and welfare of the public. It makes no sense to not of CE. We are a niche with very few of us around. After a required college degree and a minimum of 2 years work experience prior to taking our registration exam, we enjoy the protection licensure gives us. I don’t see this as a Government protected monopoly. We spent a lot of money in education and worked our butts off to get it. It’s just not right someone can say they are a landscape architect with nothing to back it up. I can do most of what a civil engineer can do but I don’t think they would like me doing it without a PE designation.
........so, Snyder passed the buck onto some “commission” with predictable results!
A Real Leader would have declared Sunset on all licenses one year out unless they obtain an exemption by the legislature and signed by the Governor!
“Necessary” licenses would be perfunctorily exempted from Sunset by the legislature and governor while all others would become the subject of great debate as they should be.
re: wholesale potato dealers. There’s a small town near here,in Charlevoix, in northern Michigan named Elmira.The Elmira Inn is noted for their famous Potato Burger. Most of the farms around there grow the spuds.
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