Hair braiders and psychologists in SC need licenses. But this bill would remove requirement
South Carolinians who work as audiologists, dietitians, funeral home directors, psychologists or even teachers would no longer have to obtain a state license under a proposal in the State House.
A proposed bill would eliminate the licensing requirement for people who work as audiologists, dietitians, embalmers, family therapists, funeral directors, geologists, hair braiders, landscape architects, marriage therapists, professional counselors, psychologists, psycho-educational specialists, social workers, speech pathologists and teachers. It also would eliminate requirements for licenses for professions regulated by the State Athletic Commission.
State Rep. Jordan Pace, R-Berkeley, who is sponsoring H. 3515, is a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, which wants to limit the scope of state government. Pace views license requirements as barriers into getting into the workforce that restrict opportunity to work and says he would rather allow the free market decide who is best in the market.
Pace said it’s not in his intention to eliminate the license all together and he would keep them in place if people want the certification for insurance purposes or for reciprocity with other states.
“That doesn’t stop anyone from getting those credentials,” Pace said. “All it does is it prevents the state from handing credibility to people who may not be actually good at their job, who are not good counselors are not good landscape architects, not good hair braiders, or not good professional wrestlers.”
Pace said the marketplace can ultimately decide whether someone will be able to operate in a chosen profession, and the marketplace can decide if someone is ultimately qualified or good at their job.
He said he isn’t worried there would be flood of unqualified people doing jobs they shouldn’t be performing.
“They won’t make any money, and they’ll probably get sued (for) misrepresenting their abilities,” Pace said. “It happens all the time.”
He gave the example of a school principal who might want to get into counseling but wouldn’t be able to because they don’t have a license to be a counselor.
“They’re probably better counselors than licensed counselors, but they don’t have a piece of paper saying they can do it from the government,” Pace said.
Opponents say bill is dangerous
Pace, who has yet to ask for a hearing on his bill, might not have the support from state Rep. Bill Sandifer, R-Oconee, who chairs the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, which has been assigned the bill.
Sandifer called Pace’s bill dangerous.
“I don’t even know what he’s trying to accomplish. I’ve got no idea. The thing is so far reaching that it’s insane,” said Sandifer, a retired funeral home director and embalmer.
He called the list of professions Pace wants to eliminate requirements for licensing alarming, because people would be able to operate without training or going to the appropriate schooling. He fears it also would take away the usefulness of boards that could review complaints.
He used the example of his previous line of work needing appropriate training because embalming involves numerous chemicals.
“I see this something that would be harmful for the general public because you would have untrained, unlicensed people having these positions and no way to restrain what they do,” Sandifer said. “You would have no board to go to say this person has really messed up in his dealings with me, as a professional, ... and the person is not a professional, they’ve had no training.”
Lynn Collins, who serves as the executive director of the South Carolina Association of School Psychologists, said she disagrees that a license requirement is a barrier to people entering a specific field.
“Most students who want to go to graduate school for these professions already know going into it that there are certain standards of training and certain credentialing and licensing requirements just going into it,” Collins said. “I don’t think that’s the barrier at all.”
She added licensing ensures people are trained but also undergo continuous training when in the profession.
“It’s not just a one and done, but over the years, you’re continuing to study and continuing to evolve in your practice,” Collins said.
Whether the Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee has a hearing on the bill depends on whether Pace requests one. If he doesn’t before the end of the General Assembly’s session next year, the bill dies. However, it can be filed again in 2025.
This story was originally published February 19, 2023 at 5:00 AM.
