Occupational Speech Research Reports

Putting Licensing to the Test

Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech

Putting Licensing to the Test

More Americans than ever need a license to work. But what do occupational licenses actually accomplish? This case study of one such license adds to a growing body of research that suggests this red tape…

Occupational Speech and the First Amendment

First Amendment | Occupational Speech | Tour Guides

Occupational Speech and the First Amendment

In May 2013, newspaper columnist John Rosemond received a cease-and-desist letter from the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology informing him that his syndicated column — in which he answers readers’ questions about parenting —…

Designed to Exclude

Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Interior Design | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech

Designed to Exclude

Americans used to be free to practice interior design work and succeed or fail based solely on their skills. But, to the detriment of consumers and would-be entrepreneurs, that is changing. The American Society of…

Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Interior Design | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech

Designed to Mislead

Do people who design interiors “mislead” the public when they call themselves “interior designers” without government permission? Industry insiders advocating greater regulation say yes, but practicing interior designers who simply want to accurately describe what…

Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Interior Design | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech

Misinformation & Interior Design Regulation

This report responds to a purported rebuttal of the Institute for Justice’s research on interior design regulations and details how its author, an advocate of increased regulation, fails to provide any evidence of the need…

Designing Cartels

Economic Liberty | First Amendment | Interior Design | Occupational Licensing | Occupational Speech

Designing Cartels

This report examines titling laws, little-known regulations that require people practicing certain professions to gain government permission to use a specific title, such as “interior designer,” to describe their work. Although titling laws receive little…