This article was originally published in Des Moines Register.
Gov. Kim Reynolds is working hard to grow Iowa’s economy. By following fiscal conservatism, lowering tax rates, and reducing barriers to occupational freedom, Iowa is becoming more economically competitive. This is essential, as Iowa is competing with other states for jobs and people. In order to make Iowa even more competitive, policymakers should reduce barriers to employment by implementing further reforms to occupational licensing.
Iowa has made substantial progress in reducing barriers to employment by reforming occupational licensing. The reform law, which passed in 2020, allows for universal recognition of out-of-state licenses, waives licensing fees for low-income individuals, and establishes a standard for a fairer review process if a license is denied based on past criminal convictions.
