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Posted on 08/27/2007 5:38:53 PM PDT by traviskicks
News Release
California, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire Restrict the Most Jobs Hair braider, fortune teller, florist and interior designer are some of the jobs for which states require licenses
Los Angeles (August 24, 2007) – Do you want to be a fortune teller in Maryland? Your future better include a license from the state. How about being a hair braider in Mississippi? You'll need 300 to 1,500 hours of training and government permission. Want to sell flowers in Louisiana? Only licensed florists can do that. And almost every state requires certification if you want to move furniture and hang art while calling yourself an interior designer.
In California, there are a total of 177 different jobs that require a special license or credential, the most in the country, according to a new Reason Foundation study examining occupational licensing trends.
Northeastern states aren't much better. Connecticut, Maine and New Hampshire all require job seekers to obtain a license before performing more than 130 jobs. In stark contrast, you can do most of those very same jobs - without a license - in Missouri, where just 41 careers require certification.
Ranking the States on Occupational Licensing States (Number of jobs requiring a license)
1. California (177) 26. Virginia (89) 2. Connecticut (155) 27. Louisiana (88) 3. Maine (134) 28. Ohio (88) 4. New Hampshire (130) 29. Georgia (85) 5. Arkansas (128) 30. Indiana (85) 6. Michigan (116) 31. Iowa (85) 7. Rhode Island (116) 32. Utah (84) 8. New Jersey (114) 33. Delaware (83) 9. Wisconsin (111) 34. Montana (79) 10. Tennessee (110) 35. Texas (78) 11. Alaska (109) 36. New York (77) 12. Massachusetts (107) 37. West Virginia (77) 13. North Carolina (107) 38. Wyoming (74) 14. Oregon (107) 39. Arizona (72) 15. Vermont (107) 40. Alabama (70) 16. Florida (104) 41. Colorado (69) 17. New Mexico (104) 42. North Dakota (69) 18. Maryland (98) 43. Mississippi (68) 19. Nebraska (96) 44. Hawaii (64) 20. Minnesota (95) 45. Pennsylvania (62) 21. Nevada (95) 46. Idaho (61) 22. Illinois (93) 47. South Carolina (60) 23. Kentucky (91) 48. Kansas (56) 24. Oklahoma (91) 49. Washington (53) 25. South Dakota (90) 50. Missouri (41)
"Most of these licensing requirements are completely arbitrary," said Adam B. Summers, a policy analyst at Reason Foundation and author of the report. "You see that clearly when examining neighboring states. California has 177 job categories licensed. But if you take one step across the state line into Arizona just 72 careers are licensed. In North Carolina you need a license to do 107 jobs. Next door in South Carolina, only 60 jobs require certification."
Proponents claim these licensing requirements are needed to protect the public from unscrupulous, incompetent, or dangerous practitioners. However, numerous studies show these laws actually reduce consumer protection and public safety, according to the Reason Foundation report.
"These laws are created under the guise of 'helping' consumers," Summers said. "In reality, the laws are helping existing businesses keep out competition, restricting consumer choice, destroying entrepreneurship, and driving up prices."
Full Report Online
The full study, Occupational Licensing: Ranking the States and Exploring Alternatives, is available online at www.reason.org/ps361.pdf
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Welfare for the well connected.
Government must protect us from such a danger.
In Cal, I think we have 150,000 Real Estate licensees. Last week an attorney teaching one of our classes said that the Dept of RE has 4 people investigating complaints, a 3-4 year back log. Have fun boys and girls.
It’s trade protectionism pure and simple. ‘Professionals’ of particular variety pay big bucks in the form of lobbyists to state legislatures to get those licensing laws passed.
However, it’s really nothing new. It’s the same thing as in past centuries ... only it was called guilds and you had to apprentice to a particular guild for a number of years before you could go out on your own.
EXACTLY!
>>”Most of these licensing requirements are completely arbitrary,” <<
In Atlanta we not only license fortune tellers but astrologers and strippers. At one point the regulated the length of the stripper’s pubic hair but they have given into changing “Brazilian” styling.
Thats not even a secret.
Real Estate agents, and brokers, after getting their licenses, usually join the "lets make it harder" group.
Can't say I blame them, I am a broker, but I just hate the hypocracy and protectionism.
You need a license to be a cat or dog in Virginia .
There is a 60 year backlog on resumes for the inspection division.
>>In Atlanta we not only license fortune tellers but astrologers and strippers. At one point the regulated the length of the stripper’s pubic hair but they have given into changing “Brazilian” styling.
I’m sure it was a tough job... visiting all those strip clubs, whipping out the ruler for close cases... Government resources spent wisely, no doubt.
I’m totally against these laws, but seeing it’s on the books, I hereby volunteer for this job - for the public good, of course. I would be very diligent and put in as much overtime as the workload demands.
I had an attorney advising and representing me in a civil matter a few years ago and learned only recently that during about half of the time period he was in my employ he was also under disciplinary suspension by the state Bar for neglect handling cases exactly like mine. In my case a real estate title wasn’t properly investigated and liens exist (thankfully very small ones) that weren’t supposed to be there.
When looking him up to get things worked out, I wasn’t surprised to find him in search of a place to hang his shingle (that is, unemployed), though he is (for the time being) in good standing with the Bar.
In California, if you wish to be called a “landscape Architect”, you must be licensed. However, a “landscape
designer” does not have to be licensed.
Funny and sad. If manicurists need a government license to protect the public, I can see a need to license a lot more jobs.
Walter Williams covered this and many other similar issues in his 1984 book The State Against Blacks.
An interesting read it was.
thnx for posting that graph, it does seem that there is less regulation in the red states, although the correlation is imperfect...
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