There are few absolute truths in life, but we do have some: death, taxes, gravity. If demand for a good increases and supply remains the same, the price will increase. And, — most germane to this committee meeting — attempts to license certain occupations will be initiated by the current practitioners of that field. Missouri has fewer of these occupational licensing requirements than other states, and we should be proud of that. This is significant, because fewer licensing regulations means that goods and services are cheaper for consumers, and fewer job seekers have to ask the government’s permission before working in the occupations of their choosing. Missouri, nonetheless, has plenty of examples of unnecessary licenses at the state and local levels.
