§30-1A-5. Review of existing occupational licenses.

(a) Starting on July 1, 2021, the Performance Evaluation and Research Division of the Office of the Legislative Auditor is responsible for annually reviewing those current occupational licenses that the committee chairs select.

(b) The Performance Evaluation and Research Division of the Office of the Legislative Auditor shall review all occupational licenses within the subsequent eight years and shall repeat such review processes in each eight-year period thereafter.

(c) The Performance Evaluation and Research Division of the Office of the Legislative Auditor shall use the criteria set forth in §30-1A-3(c) through §30-1A-3(i) of this code to analyze all existing occupational licenses. The office also may consider research or other credible evidence regarding whether an existing regulation directly helps consumers to avoid present, significant, and recognizable harm.

(d)(1) Starting on July 1, 2022, the Performance Evaluation and Research Division of the Office of the Legislative Auditor shall report the findings of its reviews to the Joint Standing Committee on Government Organization. In its report, the Performance Evaluation and Research Division of the Office of the Legislative Auditor may make recommendations to the committee that the Legislature enact new legislation that:

(A) Repeals the occupational licenses;

(B) Converts the occupational licenses to less restrictive regulation as set forth in the definition of “least restrictive regulation” in §30-1A-1a of this code;

(C) Changes the requisite personal qualifications of an occupational license;

(D) Redefines the scope of practice in an occupational license; or

(E) Reflects other recommendations to the Legislature.

(2) The Performance Evaluation and Research Division of the Office of the Legislative Auditor also may recommend that no new legislation is enacted.

(3) Nothing in this article shall be construed to authorize the office to review the means that a private certification organization uses to issue, deny, or revoke a private certification to any individual, or to require a private certification organization to grant or deny private certification to any individual.