Kansas needs skilled workers. Why not make it easier for them to move here?
About 10 years ago, Kansas established itself as a leader in eliminating red tape for veterans and their families moving into the state. HB 2066 has the potential to re-establish Kansas as a national leader by doing the same for all civilians as well.
Occupational licensing laws set minimum levels of competency for job market entry. More and more workers are subject to these laws, and it is important that safety concerns don’t impose unnecessary burdens. The Institute for Justice estimates that nearly 16% of workers in Kansas are licensed, and that losses due to licensing exceeds 29,000 jobs a year.
Recognizing the need to move forward with reform, in 2012 Kansas exempted military veterans and their spouses from license requirements. Prior to the passage of the law, countless military families might have been forced to re-take licensure exams or jump through arbitrary hoops to continue working.
The labor market in Kansas is strong — the unemployment rate is almost three percentage points below the national average. A tight labor market is great for citizens of Kansas, but some businesses may find it hard to attract the workers they need.
If Kansas needs skilled workers, why not make it easier for all workers to move into the state?
Kansas wouldn’t be going out on a limb by implementing this reform. Two years ago, Arizona became the first state to recognize licenses from other states. Both Iowa and Missouri followed suit last year.
It’s too early to measure the effects of Iowa and Missouri’s legislation, but Arizona has already seen results. More than 1,200 workers have already taken advantage of universal recognition and moved to Arizona.
There may be concern that these workers don’t have the right skills to work in Kansas. But if workers’ licenses are in good standing and out-of-state residents don’t raise concern about their skill sets, why would Kansas be unique?
To paraphrase Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey — plumbers won’t forget how to do their job when they pack up their moving truck and make the trip to Wichita.
Another concern might be that prospective residents would be replacing existing Kansas workers. Of course, the labor market doesn’t work this way. There is not a fixed pool of work that new residents would compete to take. Instead, these new workers can help grow the economy in Kansas even further and create unforeseen job opportunities.
Moreover, the Kansas Department of Labor shows that there are simply not enough workers in Kansas to fill all of the vacancies. In short, Kansas needs skilled workers. It doesn’t make sense to erect arbitrary barriers and discourage individuals from moving into the state.
Residents of the Sunflower State already know that Kansas is a great place to live and work. Common sense reform that allows individuals to move and begin working in the state would open up the door to new residents and plant the seed for continuing economic prosperity.