Bill Description: Senate Bill 1084 expands the role of the Occupational and Professional Licensure Review Legislative Committee to include sunset reviews. The sunset process is intended to determine the appropriateness and necessary of existing regulation.

Rating: 0

Does it increase barriers to entry into the market? Examples include occupational licensure, the minimum wage, and restrictions on home businesses. Conversely, does it remove barriers to entry into the market?

Senate Bill 1084 amends Section 67-9408, Idaho Code, to expand the role of the Occupational and Professional Licensure Review Legislative Committee to include sunset reviews of occupational licensing regulations in Idaho. 

This sunset review process will continue for at least two years, but it may be extended or made permanent by the Legislature. The committee is instructed to review each licensing authority at least once every five years.

Among other things, the committee is to consider if "the existing licensing or other regulation is necessary to protect against present, recognizable, and sufficient harm to the health, safety, or welfare of the public to warrant the regulation."

While this committee's efforts could reduce the burden of occupational licensing in Idaho, there is no mandate for it to find reductions and — even if the committee does recommend reductions — there is a specific provision in the bill saying, "A germane committee of the legislature shall not be bound by a recommendation of the committee."

The Fiscal Note for the bill says that expanding this committee's duties will require an additional administrative staff person in the Legislative Services Office, at an estimated cost of $70,000 per year. The meetings and travel of the committee will cost up to $10,000 annually. 

With no guarantee of regulatory relief for working Idahoans, these additional expenditures may prove to be just another burden on state taxpayers.

(0)