Report: Making Occupational Licensing Reform in Pennsylvania a Reality

Pennsylvania’s Occupational Licensing Reform Law (Act 53 of 2020) was signed into law in 2020 with the goal of opening licensed professions to people with old and unrelated criminal convictions, helping both Pennsylvania families and businesses. This law has potentially been undermined by the state occupational boards’ overbroad proposed lists of what offenses are “directly related” to the performance of the licensed professions. This report shows how a diverse group of stakeholders have come together in the regulatory process to push back against the undercutting of the law.