WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) today announced his support for a bipartisan occupational licensing reform bill that would give state governments the tools to help initiate reforms to ensure bureaucratic requirements are not creating unnecessary barriers for those seeking to enter the workforce. The New Hope and Opportunity through the Power of Employment Act (New HOPE Act) will help states decide if they want to eliminate or reduce burdensome licensing requirements that are serving as an impediment to job creation.

“Business owners in Maine have shared with me time and again their difficulties in filling job openings, particularly for skilled positions,” Senator King said. “One contributing factor is the sometimes complex and lengthy process workers must go through to secure an occupational license or certification. This bipartisan legislation will help give states the tools they need to reform licensing processes and help move our economy forward.”

Overly burdensome and unnecessary licensing mandates can require an individual to first pay fees, complete education and training programs, and even sometimes pass exams before they can enter some of the very professions most suitable to giving them a chance at meaningful work. The New HOPE Act would provide additional authority to state governors receiving an existing, bipartisan appropriation of discretionary funds for career and technical education, giving them the discretion to use this money for the “identification, consolidation, or elimination of licenses or certifications which pose an unnecessary barrier to entry for aspiring workers and provide limited consumer protection.”

The legislation was originally introduced by Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.). Representatives Tim Walberg (R-Mich.-07) and Henry Cuellar (D-Texas-28) have also introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

###