JLF’s Jon Sanders and Becki Gray have for years urged policymakers to rethink the idea of requiring licenses for certain occupations — dozens of them, in fact. Now President Trump’s Labor Secretary is taking up licensing reform as well. From the Daily Caller:
“In 1950, only about 1 in 20 jobs required a license. Today, more than 1 in 4 Americans need a license to legally perform their work,” Acosta told the crowd of conservative legislators, free market advocates and private sector representatives.
Acosta acknowledged that some of the licensing regimes make sense, especially ones focused on health and safety, but some can be done away with. “Certifying skills and specialized knowledge helps consumers,” Acosta said. “That is far different, however, from using licensing to limit competition, bar entry, or create a privileged class.”
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JLF’s Sanders advocates for more voluntary certification. Take a minute to find out why this makes sense.
