Shapiro’s licensing reforms deserve attention this election season

Excerpt:

As we near the finish line for the 2024 election, Pennsylvania seems to be the primary focus of both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Whomever wins this state seems very likely to also win the election and thus become the next president of the United States.

With all the attention focused on the election, some important reforms in the Keystone State are falling under the radar.

First, the Shapiro administration has been focused on cutting licensing processing time. These delays can keep qualified workers on the sideline—costing them time and money. This also means consumers have less choice in the market. Second, a license that was difficult to justify was eliminated. HB 1820 was signed by Gov. Josh Shapiro — eliminating a 300-hour training requirement for aspiring hair braiders.

Why are these reforms important? Should we fear that Pennsylvanians are now less safe? Most of the time, it is easy to know if what we are buying is good enough. We can rely on friends, recommendations, or even our own past experience.

But certain services are different. As consumers, we cannot be sure if the service is good before we buy. For someone mowing your lawn, this is no big deal. But sometimes, it can cause serious harm. Licensing laws are an attempt to solve this issue in two ways.

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