State’s Occupational Licensing Task Force Releases Recommendations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 9, 2018

Occupational Licensing Task Force Releases Recommendations

OKLAHOMA CITY— Labor Commissioner Melissa Houston and the Occupational Licensing Task Force released its final report and recommendations to policymakers.

The final report includes an introduction to the issue of occupational licensing, policy recommendations, and licensing blueprint, an analytical tool policymakers can use to examine current and future licenses. The Task Force also collaborated with stakeholders to create a universal database of licensure in Oklahoma available for public use. The database can be found at licensing.ok.gov.

“Since the formation of the Task Force, our goal has been to develop objective tools that policy makers can use when examining occupational licenses, not another report that sits on a shelf,” said Labor Commissioner Melissa Houston, Chairperson of Task Force. “The Task Force has met continuously this past year to examine how Oklahoma can achieve a balance between maintaining free market principles, protecting public safety, and reducing barriers to escape poverty. Policy recommendations in the report are practical first steps to improve Oklahoma’s licensing framework to better serve its citizens and serve as a model for the rest of the country.”

Oklahoma Occupational Licensing Task Force Report – January 2018 by TheOkie.com on Scribd

“I appreciate the work of Commissioner Houston as well as the effort and time put forth by members of the task force in developing these recommendations and licensure database,” Governor Mary Fallin said. “The recommendations will be helpful in removing unnecessary or burdensome regulations that are a barrier to potential workers. Removing unnecessary or outdated barriers can help Oklahomans, particularly those who may not have completed a formal education as well as some minorities, obtain jobs and build new businesses that create jobs.”

In December 2016, Governor Fallin called for the formation of the Occupational Licensing Task Force to study the issue of occupational licensing in Oklahoma and to provide recommendations. Task Force members include:

• Labor Commissioner Melissa Houston, Chairperson of Task Force
• Senator David Holt, Oklahoma Senate
• Senator Adam Pugh, Oklahoma Senate
• Representative Mark McBride, Oklahoma House of Representatives
• Representative Mike Osburn, Oklahoma House of Representatives
• Mithun Mansinghani, Solicitor General, Attorney General Mike Hunter
• Joe M. Allbaugh, Director of Department of Corrections and Oklahoma Justice Reform Task Force member
• Fred Morgan, President of Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce
• Renee Porter, President of Cristo Rey Oklahoma City Catholic High School
• Natalie Shirley, Former OSU-Oklahoma City President and Oklahoma Secretary of Education and Workforce Development
• John Tidwell, State Director, Americans for Prosperity

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