Economic Liberty Model Legislation
Economic Liberty | Private Property | Zoning Justice Project
Restoring Options in Occupancy Models (ROOM) Act
Co-living or single-room occupancy (SRO) housing was once a common and lawful part of America’s housing landscape, from spare bedrooms and small boarding houses to large residential hotels in the city. Together, these rooms provided…
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty
Niche-Beauty Services Opportunity Act
Styling hair and applying makeup are simple and safe beauty practices that many people do every day. They also offer opportunities for people to start businesses—such as bridal hair and makeup businesses and blow-dry bars, which are growing in popularity. Unfortunately, states often create needless obstacles before people can provide…
Economic Liberty | Hair Braiding
Natural Hair Braiding Opportunity and Freedom Act
African-style hair braiding has been a safe and natural practice for centuries. Today, it provides opportunities for entrepreneurship, especially in African American and African immigrant communities, allowing people to share their cultural heritage, start businesses, and realize the American Dream. Natural hair braiding is different…
Economic Liberty | Private Property | Zoning Justice Project
Housing Opportunities Made Easier (HOME) Act
America’s housing shortage has many causes, but burdensome zoning laws make it harder for property owners to build homes and harder for families to find them. Scholars, state legislators, and municipal officials from different backgrounds increasingly agree that expanding housing supply requires legalizing…
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Universal Recognition
Occupational licensing affects nearly 1 in 5 American workers and can be a substantial barrier to interstate mobility. Workers do not lose their skills or experience when they cross state lines, but licensing laws…
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Sunrise & Sunset Occupational Licensing Review Act
Occupational licensing is one of the biggest issues in labor economics today. About 25% of workers need a government-issued license to work. That represents a five-fold increase since the 1950s, when only about 5% of workers were licensed. Licensing also dwarfs the…
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Military Families Licensing Recognition Act
The process of transferring an occupational license from one state to another can be daunting, time-consuming, and frustrating. This is especially true for military service members, who frequently relocate due to deployments. It’s not just the service members who…
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Occupational Licensing Relief and Job Creation Act
About a fifth of the American workforce must get a permission slip from the government—known as an occupational license—to legally work in their chosen occupations. Getting a license can be costly and time-consuming, requiring fees,…
Economic Liberty | Fresh Start
FRESH START: Collateral Consequences in Occupational Licensing Act
A job is one of the best ways to reduce recidivism, but many occupational licensing laws make it difficult—and sometimes even impossible—for returning citizens to obtain work. Licensing laws often have morality clauses that automatically and permanently bar people with criminal records from working—without any individualized…
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty
Salon Inspection Act: Freeing Beauty and Barbering Professionals from Occupational Licensing
The beauty industry offers great opportunities for work and entrepreneurship, yet outdated occupational licensing laws often prevent people from successfully entering this field. States require aspiring cosmetologists, barbers, estheticians, and nail technicians to spend hundreds of hours and thousands of…
Economic Liberty | Occupational Licensing
Occupational Regulation Defense Act
Occupational licensing is under increasing scrutiny. Groups as ideologically diverse as the Obama White House, the Trump Administration’s Federal Trade Commission, the Brookings Institution, the National Conference of State Legislators and the Institute for Justice, have…
Economic Liberty | Vending
Mobile Food Vendor Freedom Act
Food trucks expand opportunity and enliven communities. For first-time entrepreneurs, food trucks offer an affordable path into business ownership. For established restaurants, they create a flexible way to grow a brand and reach new customers. For consumers, they bring convenience, variety, and culture directly to…
Economic Liberty | Private Property | Zoning Justice Project
Home-Based Business and Occupation Act
The pre-COVID custom of Americans living in one place and working in another is historically unusual. As one scholar noted, “The phenomenon of leaving home to go to work did not become the norm until the Industrial…
Economic Liberty | Food Freedom
Food Freedom Act
Selling homemade food is a great way for entrepreneurs with big dreams but little capital to start a business. Working from their homes, they can avoid spending tens of thousands of dollars on commercial kitchen space.
Cosmetology | Economic Liberty
Eyebrow Threader Opportunity and Freedom Act
Eyebrow threading is an ancient grooming technique that dates back thousands of years to parts of South Asia and the Middle East. Using only a simple cotton thread to form loops as they work, threaders…
Economic Liberty | Vending
Mobile Food Vendor Freedom Municipal Ordinance
Starting a food truck has helped many entrepreneurs realize the American Dream. These mobile kitchens create jobs and provide an economic boost to the communities they serve. Unfortunately, many counties and cities make it nearly impossible for food trucks to operate. Some…
Occupational Licensing
Animal Husbandry Workers Freedom & Opportunity Act
Animal husbandry is a specialty in agriculture and animal science. It focuses on breeding and care of farm animals, including cows, pigs, chickens, sheep and horses. Workers play a crucial role in maintaining the health…