Tallahassee Sun

Gov. Ron DeSantis approved a law on June 30 that reforms the regulation of many occupations, reducing or eliminating licensing in fields like interior design, landscape architecture and boxing announcing.

The Occupational Freedom and Opportunity Act (HB 1193) will create thousands of jobs and new businesses in Florida, Justin M. Pearson, Managing Attorney at the Florida Office of the Institute for Justice (IJ), said in an email response to the Tallahassee Sun.

“The reforms will accomplish this by repealing occupational licensing laws that never should have existed in the first place,” Pearson said. “Not only will the reforms help the Floridians working at these jobs and starting these businesses, but the reforms will also help the millions of Floridians who will benefit from their goods and services.”

A news release from the governor’s office provided details on the bill’s potential economic benefits.

“For two years, we’ve pushed for regulatory reforms in Florida’s occupational licensing system to remove unnecessary barriers for individuals pursuing their professional aspirations,” DeSantis said. “[W]ith legislative and public support, we’re delivering on those reforms with a comprehensive and meaningful bill that will save thousands of Floridians both time and money for years to come.”

It’s the largest repeal of occupational licenses ever undertaken by any state, and will be an economic boon for the nation’s third most populous state, Pearson said.

The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Blaise Ingoglia (R-Spring Hill) and Sen. Ben Albritton (R-Wauchula), had strong backing from both parties.

“These reforms have almost no downside, which is why they have gained bipartisan support. For example, a 2015 Obama Administration White House Report observed that most occupational licenses have no positive impact on safety or quality," Pearson said.

“Harvard Business School found that the biggest impact occupational licensing laws have on consumers is to limit consumer choice, which also results in increased costs,” he said.

The 103-page bill reforms licensing requirements in dozens of trades and grants license exemptions to some professions. In cosmetology, for example, licenses are no longer required for nail technicians, makeup artists, hair wrappers, body wrappers and hair braiders, including traditional African hair braiders.

“When Mississippi passed a similar reform for African hair braiders, over 2,600 African-Americans registered to work in a state with a population one-seventh Florida’s size,” Pearson said.

Occupational licensing reform has been a cornerstone of the IJ’s work in Florida.

“This new law will create thousands of jobs in the Sunshine State simply by removing barriers that never should have existed,” Pearson said.