Senate Passes Roegner Bill to Attract Skilled Workers to Ohio

COLUMBUS — By a unanimous vote of 31-to-0, the Ohio Senate today passed a bill cosponsored by State Senators Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson) and Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) that will allow out-of-state licensees in good standing to obtain an Ohio license to practice their profession. Senate Bill 131 will promote economic growth in Ohio by removing unnecessary licensure hurdles and welcoming skilled workers to our state. It will also provide Ohio businesses with more of the skilled labor necessary to compete at a national level, and provide underserved areas with increased access to trained professionals.

"This bill recognizes that workers licensed in other states do not lose their skill sets when they move to Ohio," said Roegner. "Arizona and Pennsylvania have already recognized this. It’s time for Ohio to do so as well."

"This legislation will return common sense to the process, and allow workers from all over the country to come here and contribute to Ohio’s workforce," said McColley. "We should be making it as simple as possible for experienced workers to make Ohio their home, rather than forcing them to repeat training for a profession they already know."

The bill requires boards to grant a license to an applicant with an existing out-of-state license if the following conditions are met:

• The applicant holds an out-of-state license or government certification for the same profession or occupation and at the same level of practice for which they are applying.
• The applicant has held that license or certification for at least one year.
• The applicant is in good standing in all jurisdictions in which they are licensed to practice their profession.
• The applicant satisfied minimum education, training, or experience requirements or passed an exam to receive their out-of-state license.
• The applicant has not surrendered a license or had a license revoked because of negligence or intentional misconduct related to their occupation.
• The applicant is not disqualified from obtaining a license or certification because of criminal offenses.

The bill also allows non-licensed applicants to qualify for an Ohio occupational license if they have sufficient work experience and meet other basic requirements, including those who learned a skilled trade in the military.