Testimony: Occupational Licensing In Missouri

Attempts to license certain occupations are almost always initiated by the current practitioners of that field. They often do this because they want the benefits of limiting competition under the guise of improving safety or protecting consumers. Missouri has fewer of these occupational licensing requirements than other states, and we should be proud of that. This is significant, because fewer licensing regulations means that goods and services are cheaper for consumers, and fewer job seekers have to ask the government’s permission before working in the occupations of their choosing. Missouri, nonetheless, has plenty of examples of unnecessary licenses at the state and local levels.

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