Licensing laws shackle labor markets

Excerpt:

That’s the (relatively) good news. Here’s much-worse news: a separate report by the Archbridge Institute in 2023 ranked North Carolina 8th worst in the country. Its study includes a broader range of occupations — and our state regulated more of them than any of our neighbors.

As far as I can tell, there’s no evidence that North Carolinians are, as a result, safer, healthier, or more satisfied with the goods and services they receive. On the other hand, there’s plenty of evidence suggesting that North Carolina workers have fewer opportunities, and North Carolina consumers pay higher prices, because of our relatively strict licensing laws.

Read the full article at The Carolina Journal.

Read the 2023 State Occupational Licensing Index report here.