Moving can be difficult, so it’s important for the Maine Legislature to find ways to remove these roadblocks. It has a chance to do just that with LD 612, which was the subject of a recent public hearing before the legislative Committee on Innovation, Development, Economic Advancement and Business.

This bill, “An Act To Recognize Occupational Licenses and Certifications from Other States To Attract New Residents and Businesses to Maine,” would make it much easier for professionals to move to Maine and begin working. Right now, if you have a license in another state and want to move to Maine, you may have to go through the application process all over again. This can take months. Applicants are forced to take exams, pay fees, and sometimes even undergo training again. For someone looking to move, these costs may be so high that they decide not to move.

The barriers posed by licensing exist because licensing laws are passed by states. Even small differences between state requirements can be a substantial barrier for licensed professionals looking to move. Forcing workers to jump through hoops during their move is a serious burden that reduces the number of people willing to move between states.

How much of an effect does this really have? Over 20% of workers in Maine require a license to perform their job. Research finds that rigid licensing requirements reduce the likelihood of workers moving by as much as 7%.

Making it easier for skilled professionals to move is important for states as we recover from COVID-19 and remote work becomes more widespread. For Maine, attracting talent is even more important. The population is only expected to grow by 0.4% in the next 5 years. Before COVID-19, Maine had a healthy labor market, and will likely need to attract outside talent to continue to grow.

Universal recognition of out of state licenses can help Maine do just that. Under LD 612, anyone moving to Maine in a licensed profession will be issued a license by the board that oversees their profession. The professional must have met all training and education requirements and have been licensed in good standing for a year.

But LD 612 goes even further. For workers coming from states that do not require licenses, they will accept three years of experience in their profession without complaints. Many professions are not licensed in every state, meaning someone could work for years in a profession, then move and not be allowed to practice without returning to school.

Licensing laws are intended to protect consumers. Universal recognition does not undermine this protection. What it does is remove barriers that add time and money that prevent skilled professionals from moving to a new state.

Universal recognition laws treat professional licenses like a driver’s license. We don’t make people moving between states sit for a permit exam and pass a driving course; rather we trust other states’ ability to screen out poor drivers. We should trust them the same way for occupational licensing.

There has been a growing movement to pass universal recognition laws in states across the United States. In 2019, Arizona became the first state to implement this reform, and people moving to Arizona immediately took advantage of the reform. Maine had an opportunity to join them in 2019 with a previous bill that failed, but it is better late than never.

Attracting talent to the state is important now more than ever. Lawmakers now have the opportunity to make it easier for professionals to move to Maine and work.

Conor Norris is a research analyst. Edward Timmons is director and professor of economics at the Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania.

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