Excerpt:
As we near the finish line for the 2024 election, Pennsylvania seems to be the primary focus of both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Whomever wins this state seems very likely to also win the election and thus become the next president of the United States.
With all the attention focused on the election, some important reforms in the Keystone State are falling under the radar.
First, the Shapiro administration has been focused on cutting licensing processing time. These delays can keep qualified workers on the sideline—costing them time and money. This also means consumers have less choice in the market. Second, a license that was difficult to justify was eliminated. HB 1820 was signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro — eliminating a 300-hour training requirement for aspiring hair braiders.
Why are these reforms important? Should we fear that Pennsylvanians are now less safe? Most of the time, it is easy to know if what we are buying is good enough. We can rely on friends, recommendations, or even our own past experience.
But certain services are different. As consumers, we cannot be sure if the service is good before we buy. For someone mowing your lawn, this is no big deal. But sometimes, it can cause serious harm. Licensing laws are an attempt to solve this issue in two ways.
Continue reading at TribLive.
Edward Timmons, PhD, is Vice President of Policy at the Archbridge Institute. He leads the institute's economic policy strategy, identifying focus areas and disseminating work to key stakeholders and policymakers. His own research focuses on labor economics and regulatory policy; he is regularly asked to provide expert testimony to U.S. states on occupational licensing reform and the practice authority of nurse practitioners. Dr. Timmons received his Ph.D. in economics from Lehigh University and his B.A. in economics and actuarial science from Lebanon Valley College. He publishes a weekly newsletter on Substack with the latest research and policy insights surrounding occupational licensing.
Conor Norris, PhD, is a regulatory policy fellow at the Archbridge Institute, director of labor policy at the Knee Regulatory Research Center, and a teaching associate professor of general business at West Virginia University. He has shared his research with state legislators and policymakers, authoring white papers and providing expert testimony to state legislatures on occupational licensing reform and the practice of telemedicine. Dr. Norris received his Ph.D. in economics from the Universidad Francisco Marroquín and his M.A. in economics from George Mason University.
Economics of Flourishing
Excerpt:
As we near the finish line for the 2024 election, Pennsylvania seems to be the primary focus of both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Whomever wins this state seems very likely to also win the election and thus become the next president of the United States.
With all the attention focused on the election, some important reforms in the Keystone State are falling under the radar.
First, the Shapiro administration has been focused on cutting licensing processing time. These delays can keep qualified workers on the sideline—costing them time and money. This also means consumers have less choice in the market. Second, a license that was difficult to justify was eliminated. HB 1820 was signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro — eliminating a 300-hour training requirement for aspiring hair braiders.
Why are these reforms important? Should we fear that Pennsylvanians are now less safe? Most of the time, it is easy to know if what we are buying is good enough. We can rely on friends, recommendations, or even our own past experience.
But certain services are different. As consumers, we cannot be sure if the service is good before we buy. For someone mowing your lawn, this is no big deal. But sometimes, it can cause serious harm. Licensing laws are an attempt to solve this issue in two ways.
Continue reading at TribLive.
Edward Timmons
Edward Timmons, PhD, is Vice President of Policy at the Archbridge Institute. He leads the institute's economic policy strategy, identifying focus areas and disseminating work to key stakeholders and policymakers. His own research focuses on labor economics and regulatory policy; he is regularly asked to provide expert testimony to U.S. states on occupational licensing reform and the practice authority of nurse practitioners. Dr. Timmons received his Ph.D. in economics from Lehigh University and his B.A. in economics and actuarial science from Lebanon Valley College. He publishes a weekly newsletter on Substack with the latest research and policy insights surrounding occupational licensing.
Conor Norris
Conor Norris, PhD, is a regulatory policy fellow at the Archbridge Institute, director of labor policy at the Knee Regulatory Research Center, and a teaching associate professor of general business at West Virginia University. He has shared his research with state legislators and policymakers, authoring white papers and providing expert testimony to state legislatures on occupational licensing reform and the practice of telemedicine. Dr. Norris received his Ph.D. in economics from the Universidad Francisco Marroquín and his M.A. in economics from George Mason University.
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