Universal occupational licensing bill approved in State Senate committee

PHOENIX –  Daniel Greenberg, a Trump administration official, testified Thursday before a State Senate committee in support of a bill that would grant occupational licenses to Arizona residents who have obtained comparable licenses in other states.

House Bill 2569, sponsored by Rep. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, passed out of the committee by a unanimous vote. If it passes the vote of the entire Senate and is signed into law by the governor, it would grant licensure to individuals who establish residency in Arizona and hold a comparable license in another state.

Applicants must be in “good standing” in the state in which they are licensed, pay applicable fees in Arizona to obtain licensure, not have a criminal history  and satisfy other standards.

The bill passed out of the House of Representatives by a vote of 36 to 24.

“Occupational regulation is often too burdensome and too excessive and often presents serious challenges and dangers to worker mobility, economic growth, economic productivity and job creation,” Daniel Greenberg, senior policy advisor of the U.S. Department of Labor, said at the Senate Commerce Committee hearing. “The bottom line is that cumbersome regulations are really hindering the American workforce.”