In 2018, our Center published one of our most comprehensive policy briefs, The Right To Earn, which highlighted Rhode Island’s bottom-10 standing when it comes to over-regulation and the need for across the board occupational licensing reform. The Ocean State has also recently been ranked as having the worst state business climate in all of America.

Since then, we have been encouraged that reforms continue to move forward based on our report on the heavy burdens of “occupation licensing” laws in the state.

If significant occupational licensing and regulatory reforms are enacted: more people will be free to engage in more and better jobs, more and better incomes will be earned, more families will be culturally stronger and will remain intact, and more and better businesses will expand or be established.

The goal of an effective regulatory strategy should be to ensure that occupational licensing is no more burdensome than needed to address present, significant and substantiated harm. Under a “light touch” approach, businesses are freer to develop and produce jobs.

This year, H7892 similarly reduces licensing burdens across many occupational areas, and if the General Assembly passes this bill, Rhode Island would join the increasing national trend – both at the state and federal level – to reduce roadblocks that may prohibit certain individuals from engaging in meaningful work. Click here to learn more.