Rep. Jim Lower received praise from the Foundation for Government Accountability for his legislation removing burdensome and confusing occupational licensing requirements. Lower was presented with the FGA’s Champion of Work Award for 2018, which honors a legislator who displays a commitment to empowering residents and protecting the freedom to work.

“I am honored and humbled to receive this award,” Lower said. “My goal was to protect the freedom of Michigan residents to choose careers that allow them to provide for themselves and their families. By reducing the burden for people to become or continue on as a licensed professional, we open the career path to competition, providing more job options for workers and less cost for Michigan consumers.”

Lower’s legislation, the Local Government Occupational Licensing Act, was signed into law as Public Act 493 of 2018 by former governor Rick Snyder. The act was part of a multi-bill package that disallows local government in Michigan from having licensing requirements for occupations already regulated at the state level. The Public Acts are 493-503 of 2018.