Task force asks for review of job licenses
Oklahoma lawmakers should regularly review job licensing requirements, a task force recommended in a report released this week.
The Occupational Licensing Task Force suggested the reviews should be tied in with the sunset review process, which gives the Legislature an opportunity to examine state agencies, boards and commissions on a regular basis.
Labor Commissioner Melissa Houston, who chaired the task force, said existing mechanisms in state law would allow lawmakers to decide whether a particular job category requires a license, and then whether the fees and training associated with it are reasonable. As part of its work, the task force developed a blueprint with questions that can streamline that review.
“The task force has given them tools to, between the data and the blueprint, to make the sunset review process more meaningful and hopefully allow the policymakers to make better informed decisions,” Houston said.
Oklahoma’s job licensing laws are a hodgepodge of agency rules and statutes, which made the task force’s work difficult. The task was so challenging that even after months of work, there still isn’t a perfectly clear picture of how many licenses are offered or what the requirements are to receive one.
The data released this week provides insight into the state’s licensing laws, but Houston said there’s more work needed to refine the data.
“We are so far behind on occupational licensing in general that the recommendations are thinking short term and long term,” she said. “In the short term, we don't even have a comprehensive list of the licenses the state issues. Starting there would be a good start.”
The task force asked Gov. Mary Fallin to order agencies, boards and commissions to fully report their licensing requirements.
“Filling in that data and getting the agencies, boards and commissions to complete the data request, I think, would be the first step. It's difficult to solve the problem if you can't define the problem,” Houston said.
Another recommendation is the creation of an independent commission to review the data and make recommendations to the Legislature.
"At the end of the day, what people need to remember is this is the government giving people permission to work, permission to earn a living, permission to support their family," said Houston. "There may be a reason for that. But if there isn't a governmental concern, then should we be?"
The information gathered by the task force shows there are at least 382 licenses the state offers in various job categories. Those include medical and trade occupations, along with licenses for specialized duties like the ones found at the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission. The Horse Racing Commission issues 50 licenses, including ones for facility employees, veterinarians, owners and trainers.
“The nature of horse racing and gaming in general are the overarching reasons for the commission’s responsibility,” said Kelly Cathey, the commission’s executive director. “The safety of the animal athletes and people in direct contact with them as well as the integrity of the gambling and other gaming interests that mandate the strict controls not only on access but on the qualifications of personnel licensed for various occupations in the enclosure.”
Cathey noted that Horse Racing Commission licenses only apply to people participating in race activities and not those working within the racing industry at large.