Economic Liberty
Fresh Start

FRESH START: Collateral Consequences in Occupational Licensing Act

Eliminating Occupational Licensing Barriers for People with Criminal Records

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 review. Some also require people with criminal records to prove a negative—that their past crimes will not cause harm in the future. 

Research shows that such provisions may decrease public safety. States with higher licensing burdens have higher rates of recidivism, according to Professor Stephen Slivinski’s landmark study Turning Shackles into Bootstraps: Why Occupational Licensing Reform Is the Missing Piece of Criminal Justice Reform. 

IJ’s model Collateral Consequences in Occupational Licensing Act increases economic opportunities for people with criminal records. This model bill: 

  • Allows a person with a criminal record to petition a licensing board at any time—including before investing in training—for a determination of whether the person will  be disqualified from licensure because of his or her criminal record; 
  • Limits disqualifying convictions to those that are directly related to the person’s ability to safely work in the licensed occupation; and 
  • Places the burden on the state to prove that people with criminal records should be disqualified. 

America is the land of second chances. After a person has paid their debt to society, they should have a fair chance to work and achieve a better life. 

For more information about how states use criminal records to regulate entry, see the 50-state chart on licensing and employment at the Restoration of Rights Project, and IJ’s report Barred from Working: A Nationwide Study of Occupational Licensing Barriers for Ex-Offenders.