In the eyes of some, the state of Iowa is proving to be its own worst enemy in terms of advancing economic growth stemming from what they see as over-burdensome regulations.
“Iowa needs more professionals in a wide range of sectors, but overbearing government regulations are hampering the state’s workforce growth,” a column in The Gazette states.
One area that seems clearly impacted is the teaching industry, where in the state some school districts are struggling to attract applicants for teaching positions. Some directly attribute the development to the state’s teacher licenses rules, which for the most part restricts recruiters to in-state prospects, the column states.
“Licensing requirements serve as a form of protectionism for established professionals, making it prohibitively expensive for new professionals to enter the market,” The Gazette piece states, pointing to a recent study by the Institute for Justice that found Iowa is the 12th “most broadly and onerously licensed state, making this one of the worst states for occupational licensing for lower-income workers.”
Currently, Gov. Kim Reynolds is considering a plan that would see the state follow in the footsteps of the likes of California, which sought to relax work requirements last year by passing a law that protects some criminal offenders from having their licenses revoked.
Alerts Sign-up