,i #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #cade ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #ab1 #bjba,mrs4 ,harshbarger 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,banks1 ,mr4 ,issa1 ,mr4 ,jackson1 ,mr4 ,la,malfa1 ,mrs4 ,lesko1 and ,mr4 ,budd7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,oversight and ,reform1 and in addition to the ,committee on ,education and ,labor1 for a period to be subsequently determined by the ,speaker1 in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned ,a ,,bill ,to require ,executive agency review of occupational licensing requirements1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,freedom to ,work ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,occupational licensing has grown exponentially1 comprising nearly #be percent of the ,united ,states workforce today1 up from #e percent nearly #fj years ago4 7#b7 ,according to a #bjah ,bureau of ,labor ,statistics survey1 #hd4d percent of employed people with a certification or license responded that their credential was required for their job4 7#c7 ,studies show little evidence that licensing improves quality of services and instead costs consumers #bjc1jjj1jjj1jjj annually1 reduces the number of jobs by #b1hej1jjj1 with the most impact on low-income workers seeking to enter occupations for the first time4 7#d7 ,occupations experience slower employment growth in ,states where they are licensed1 compared to ,states where they are not1 proving occupational licensing serves as a barrier to employment4 7#e7 ,enacted into ,federal law in #bjad1 the stated purpose of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caja et seq47 is to strengthen the ,united ,states workforce development system through innovation in1 and alignment and improvement of1 employment1 training1 and education programs in the ,united ,states1 and to promote individual and national economic growth4 7#f7 ,in fiscal year #bjba1 ,congress appropriated #b1hde1ccb1jjj for ,states to assist ,americans in overcoming barriers to employment and help employers hire and retain workers4 7#g7 ,if ,states enact unnecessary occupational licensing requirements that create barriers for individual job seekers1 when no requirement or a less restrictive alternative may serve the same purpose1 ,states are acting in contradiction to the goals of ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caja et seq474 7#h7 ,on ,december #ad1 #bjbj1 the ,executive ,office of the ,president published ,executive ,order #aciff1 ,increasing ,economic and ,geographic ,mobility to establish it as the policy of the ,united ,states to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens on the ,american people and require the ,federal ,government to review and report on authorities1 regulations1 guidance1 and policies to alleviate such occupational licensing burdens4 7#i7 ,policymakers at all levels of government should require evidence to determine if there is a demonstrated need to regulate an occupation and should consider a range of less restrictive alternatives such as1 quality ratings1 voluntary third-party professional certifications1 bonding or insurance1 or inspection requirements4 #c4 ,executive agency review of occupational licensing requirements 7a7 ,in general ,subchapter ,i of chapter #ca of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #caag4 ,executive agency review of occupational licensing requirements 7a7 ,in general ,not later than #ij days after the date of enactment of the ,freedom to ,work ,act and every #b years thereafter1 the head of each ,executive agency shall-- 7#a7 review any authority1 regulation1 or policy of1 or ,federal law pertaining to1 the ,executive agency that-- 7,a7 imposes an occupational licensing requirement with respect to any position 7including any position of a contractor or subcontractor thereof7 at the ,executive agency2 or 7,b7 is causing a ,state1 local1 or tribal government to adopt an occupational licensing requirement for public and private sector positions within the ,state or area encompassing the jurisdiction of the local or tribal government2 7#b7 identify any changes to such an authority1 regulation1 policy1 or law that would result in no requirement or the least restrictive alternative to an occupation licensing requirement with respect to any such position while maintaining protection for consumers and other individuals from significant and demonstrable harm to their health and safety2 and 7#c7 submit to the ,director of the ,office of ,management and ,budget1 the ,assistant to the ,president for ,domestic ,policy1 and the ,assistant to the ,president and ,director of ,intergovernmental ,affairs a report that identifies such changes4 7b7 ,report to ,president and ,congress ,not later than #cj days after receiving the report under subsection 7a77#c71 the ,director of the ,office of ,management and ,budget shall-- 7#a7 submit to the ,president and to ,congress such report2 and 7#b7 publish such report in the ,federal ,register4 7c7 ,agency implementation ,each ,executive agency shall implement any changes 7excluding any change requiring a change in ,federal law7 described in a report submitted under subsection 7b74 7d7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,occupational license ,the term occupational license means a license1 registration1 or certification without which an individual lacks the legal permission of a ,state1 local1 or tribal government to perform certain defined services for compensation4 7#b7 ,state ,the term ,state has the meaning given the term in section #iaja7;a77#d74 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table of sections for such subchapter is amended by inserting after the item relating to section #caaf the following3 #caag4 ,executive agency review of occupational licensing requirements4 4 #d4 ,unified ,state ,plan ,section #ajb7;b77#a77;,d7 of the ,workforce ,innovation and ,opportunity ,act 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #caab7;b77#a77;,d77 is amended by adding before the semicolon the following3 1 and of how the ,state will reduce occupational licensing barriers to entry in specific occupations or industry sectors and any broader occupational licensing process reforms4