Dropping licenses will boost economy

The racket of requiring occupational licenses protects existing businesses more than it protects consumers.

By Matt Walsh
| 8:06 p.m. February 6, 2020
| 0 Free Articles Remaining!

Opinion

The name of this particular former state lawmaker from Polk County has faded from memory, but not this priceless pearl of principle that she used while serving in the Florida House of Representatives:

Jobs Affected by License Bill

House Bill 1193, dubbed the “Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act,” would do the following if adopted:

Deregulate:

• Interior designers and interior design businesses

• Hair braiders and wrappers

• Body wrappers

• Nail polishers

• Makeup applicators

• Boxing announcers and timekeepers.

Partially deregulate:

• Auctioneers

• Talent agents

• Labor organizations.

Eliminate the additional business license for:

• Asbestos abatement consultants and contractors

• Architects

• Landscape architects

• Geologists

Reduces hours of training required to obtain a license for:

• Barbers and restricted barbers

• Nail, facial and full specialists.

Adds new ways for out-of-state professionals to obtain a license in the state for:

• Veterinarians

• Construction and electrical contractors

• Landscape architects

• Geologists

• Engineers

• Certified public accountants

• Home inspectors

• Building code professionals

• Cosmetologists

• Barbers

Also:

• Reduce the number of members on the Florida Building Commission.

n Authorize unlicensed individuals to provide compensated dietary and nutritional information if such individuals do not represent that they are licensed dieticians or nutritionists.

• Prohibits Department of Business and Professional Regulation from disciplining or revoking a licensee based solely on defaulting on a student loan.