Gov. Kim Reynolds signs professional licensing reform bill

GRIMES, Iowa — Gov. Kim Reynolds on Thursday signed into law a bill that "cuts red tape" for Iowans to get licensed for certain jobs in the state, including ex-felons who were in some cases excluded from professional licenses all together because of their criminal records.

Professions like electricians, plumbers and cosmetologists require some sort of professional license. This new law, effective January 2021, allows new Iowa residents with out-of-state licenses to use their skills and training in Iowa without additional hurdles.

This is a way to draw more workers to Iowa, Reynolds said during a Thursday news conference in Grimes.

"We want individuals all across the country to know that Iowa’s open for business and I think this piece of legislation demonstrates that very point." Reynolds said.

Before the pandemic which sparked layoffs and shed jobs, Iowa had one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation with thousands of open jobs available.

The professional licensing changes also permit three years of work experience as a substitute for any education and training requirements, and the bill establishes a universal standard for considering criminal convictions when boards grant licenses.

"The offense must be directly related to the practice of the profession if it’s going to be used as reason to deny a license," Reynolds said. "And this will enable more ex-offenders to enter the workforce and it’s an important part of our second chances agenda.

The bill also waives initial professional licensing fees for families whose earnings are below 200% of the federal poverty level.

Democrats in the legislature who voted against the proposal said during debate that the policy is too broad, warning that relaxing licensing standards could pose risks to consumer protection.

"The problem here is that we're trying to do things in a way that basically says 'one size fits all,'" said Sen. Herman Quirmbach, D-Ames.