Relates to enacting the empire state licensing act; repealer

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Gustavo Rivera says this is needed

The number of jobs requiring licenses has increased dramatically over the past 60 years. Currently, over 1,100 different occupations require a license and approximately 25 percent of all workers nationwide are required to obtain one in order to work in their occupations. Examples of such professions include attorneys, nurses, massage therapists, land- scape architects, barbers, real estate brokers, food salvagers, and teachers. Talented and otherwise qualified applicants are currently precluded from acquiring certain professional licenses, permits, certif- ications, and registrations in the State of New York due to lack of citizenship or immigration status. While New York has enacted some policies that enable lawfully present individuals with work authorization to access certain professional licenses, many noncitizens are left out. It is critical for New York to ensure lawfully present individuals can continue to be an integral part of the state's workforce and economy. More than one-third of adult lawfully present individuals in New York have a college degree or further education. Without access to occupa- tional and professional licenses and business registration, many of these individuals will not be able to pursue careers in occupations in which they are trained, depriving individuals of fully benefiting from their skills. Other noncitizens forego higher education or specialized training because of licensing restrictions. Licensure barriers for noncitizens also prevent the State from benefiting from the full tax revenue of noncitizens, as the inability to obtain licenses constricts noncitizen incomes. On average, licensed workers earn higher wages and hold increased job security. This bill addresses access barriers for lawfully present individuals for the acquisition of professional, occupational, commercial, and business licenses for noncitizen applicants, as they do not comport with prevail- ing principles underlying jurisprudence of equity and fairness. This unjustifiable exclusion undermines New York's efforts to promote econom- ic growth and support lawfully present individual communities. Our State recognizes the value of providing every New Yorker with the opportunity to apply for and acquire licenses, permits, certifications, and regis- trations if they are otherwise qualified for the interests of fostering entrepreneurship and economic growth in the community-at-large.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.