ASU researcher says Arizona licensing law could spur US economy

Last April, Arizona became the first state in the nation to enact universal licensing recognition.

Since Gov. Doug Ducey signed House Bill 2569 into law, Arizona has allowed universal recognition for occupational licenses in an effort to remove barriers for employment.

Stephen Slivinski, senior research fellow with ASU’s Center for the Study of Economic Liberty could not agree more — especially amid the outbreak of COVID-19.

Slivinski believes that current licensing policies in place around the country hinder productivity by adding “possibly thousands of hours of duplicative training, or thousands of dollars’ worth of additional fees” to both professionals and businesses.

He not only believes such policies are particularly detrimental within the context of the current health crisis, but also that the elimination of such licensing polices could help the U.S. economy recover from the coronavirus outbreak.