Wisconsin Certified Bill Approved in Committee
When I travel outside of Wisconsin, people often ask me how our state rebounded like it did. They are amazed at how far we've come since the days of high unemployment and businesses fleeing. Our reputation means something.
The strong reputation of Wisconsin's workers and businesses can give consumers in our state more confidence in who they choose to hire.
This week, the Senate Committee on Public Benefits, Licensing and State-Federal Relations approved a bill that I am authoring with
State Senator Chris Kapenga, and State Representative Rob Hutton. The bill will give consumers confidence when they see "Wisconsin Certified."
It creates a self-certification registry for professions not regulated by the state. This is a free-market way to let consumers know who is a reputable provider of services.
The label 'state certified' will be a mark of quality for Wisconsin's businesses and trade workers. Consumers will know which professionals have earned that rating and which ones haven't.
Wisconsin currently regulates 166 professions. Over-regulation of some professions creates an unnecessary burden to employment for many low-income people and entrepreneurs. Self-certification will create a middle ground between licensure and completely unregulated professions. This middle ground will increase safety and ensure consumer protection with minimal state involvement.
The Wisconsin certified label will be offered through the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS). DSPS will enforce the standard and impose fines for lying about accreditation or falsely claiming the title of state certified.
Now that the bill was approved by the committee, it is available for scheduling in the full State Senate.
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