In a bad year for policy, a win for WPC and people trying to start fresh
Todd Myers is WPC's Center for the Environment director, but aside from Environmental Policy, he's also had a longstanding passion for occupational licensing reform. Todd's work on this issue has pointed out that unnecessary and arbitrary licensing requirements impose barriers to work that disproportionally hit lower income families, immigrants and those who have been incarcerated and are seeking to start over in legal work.
Occupational licensing reform has broad, bipartisan support, but in the past it has been killed by powerful legislators influenced by organized labor special interest groups. This year, the legislation was narrowed to focus on reform for those who had served prison sentences. Research shows those able to get jobs outside of prison are much more likely to avoid re-offending. HB 1399 is designed to remove unnecessary barriers for those who have completed their sentence, allowing them to receive licenses for jobs unrelated to their previous offense. It passed the state House and the Senate without opposition and was signed by the governor on May 3rd.
More can and should be done to reform occupational licensing, but this is a good step for the people of Washington.