Rep. Dusty Hightower (R-Carrollton) filed
legislation that will significantly reduce processing times for almost half a
million Georgians who hold professional licenses.
Currently, due to an unintended consequence of
earlier legislation, anyone renewing a professional license is required to
submit proof of citizenship before the license is granted. This took an
automated process and made it manual. This has resulted in five times
longer wait times for renewals and greatly increased the workload of the
Professional Licensing Board Division during already strained budget
conditions.
HB 32 will only require applicants to submit
their Secure and Verifiable Documents (SVD) once within the same agency, rather
than each time a license is renewed.
“I am thankful to have had the opportunity to
work with Rep. Hightower to draft this legislation,” said Secretary of State
Brian Kemp. “This bill will eliminate needless government red-tape and
help Georgians get to work faster.”
The Office of the Secretary of State worked with
Georgia business leaders, including the National Federation of Independent
Business to draft this bill.
“This legislation is of paramount importance to
small business and licensed professionals in Georgia,” said Georgia NFIB State
Director Kyle Jackson. “We simply cannot afford to sideline job creators
because of government regulation at a time when our state desperately needs new
jobs. I appreciate Secretary Kemp’s leadership on this issue and look
forward to working with the legislature to pass this legislation during the
2013 session.”
“Almost half a million Georgia professionals
have had to jump through additional hoops to work here in Georgia. In
these trying economic times, it is important that all of our elected leaders
look for ways to cut red tape and get Georgia to work,” said Rep. Hightower.
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