Occupational licensing is one of many ways in which government unnecessarily burdens low-income New Mexicans.
As can be seen below and at this link which is to the New Mexico page of the latest edition of “License to Work,” a paper produced by the non-profit libertarian law firm Institute for Justice.
New Mexico’s low-income workers face the 9th-heaviest licensing burden among US states and New Mexico is the 11th most broadly and onerously licensed state.
Occupational licensing is yet another area of potential bi-partisan cooperation. The Obama Administration outlined some serious concerns about the over-reliance on government licensing.
If New Mexico’s legislators are serious about the issue, they need look no further than Arizona which has enacted the most aggressively pro-worker occupational licensing reforms in the nation with its “Right to Earn a Living” law.
Reducing occupational licensing requirements has been endorsed by a primarily liberal New Mexico First town hall and the Association of Commerce and Industry. The mechanism for reviewing the necessity of licensing in certain occupations already exists. Their licensing and regulatory boards are “sunset” every three years on a staggered schedule. This means the legislation authorizing them is automatically repealed and must be re-enacted for them to continue. When sunset laws were adopted 20-30 years ago, many people hoped the necessity of each board would be periodically reviewed. Unfortunately, renewing these authorizing statutes has become nearly automatic. At a minimum when each board is up for renewal, the legislature should be advised how many states require licensing of the occupation in question.
Very good points Dick. I am familiar with the sunset situation. It would be great to get some momentum to actually eliminate them, but the process is less than simple to track. Do you have any information as to when these licenses come up for sunset and how to go about tackling them? Thanks.
Pay for Play — The New Mexican Way
kinda always been that going back to territorial days
In chapter 61 of the New Mexico statutes there are established about 25 occupational licensing boards, starting with 61-2-1 NMSA -Optometrists. Those provisions include a repeal date, showing when the board expires, unless renewed. Other Boards and Commissions are scattered throughout the statutes. If asked by a legislator, the Legislative Council Service would identify them. They collect them as a matter of course, since there must be legislation prepared to renew those which are expiring each year.
Without a legislator interested in this issue, it would be impossible to get started.