Occupational licensing reform is a long-standing policy concern for the Indiana Chamber. This year, two bills passed that have the potential to reduce barriers to entry into the workforce for tens – if not hundreds – of thousands of licensed professionals in the years to come.
First, House Bill 1343, authored by Rep. Jake Teshka (R-South Bend) and sponsored by Sen. Mike Gaskill (R-Pendleton), tasks state agencies with reviewing regulations associated with occupational regulations and either modifying or eliminating those that are not in the best interest of licensed Hoosier professionals. The Chamber testified in support of the bill and suggested language that was amended into the bill that limits those who can challenge a regulation to professionals who actually work in the field to which the regulation applies.
House Bill 1555, entitled Military Family Occupational Licenses and authored by Rep. Chris May (R-Bedford), has also been signed by Governor Holcomb.
In short, the bill requires Indiana’s professional licensing boards to recognize licenses from other jurisdictions earned by military members, spouses and children. If the qualified individual has practiced in another jurisdiction for at least one year and is not the subject of a regulatory investigation, then the licensing board must issue that person Indiana’s equivalent of that professional license.
Furthermore, if the jurisdiction does not use a license to regulate a profession, but a license is required in Indiana, then the licensing board must issue an Indiana license if that individual has worked in that profession for three years.
In 2020, the Chamber was the champion of House Bill 1008, which was authored by Rep. Martin Carbaugh (R-Fort Wayne). That bill would have introduced universal license recognition for all practitioners, not just those related to someone in the military.
Despite the bill failing a few months later, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Holcomb’s first executive order precluded regulatory enforcement against health professionals licensed in other states, or those who recently retired, who provided health services in Indiana.
The Chamber is hopeful that HB 1555 is a foot in the door for expanding this regulatory practice to all qualified professionals who will add value to the state’s workforce and economy.
