All We Want for Christmas is an ROI

At Issue

By Althea D. Ford, NJBIA Vice President of Government Affairs On Nov 26, 2024

The Legislature recently advanced S-3051 (Singer/Pou), which would require the Division of Consumer Affairs to hire staff to alleviate professional license application backlogs and appropriate $10 million from the state’s general fund in fiscal years 2026, 2027, and 2028.

The need for legislation to address the division’s operations was the subject of a coalition letter sent to the Attorney General in 2022 with nearly 40 signatories representing licensed professionals across various industries. The message was clear: There were, and still are, systemic challenges professionals face when dealing with the division.

These challenges significantly impact the state’s economic development, workforce outlooks, and protection of consumers. The division’s operations broadly, and its staff specifically, are a barometer by which we can measure how much the state values regulated professionals. 

Whether it is a prospective licensee’s inability to have a licensing examination or practical scheduled in order to complete licensure and enter the workforce or the inability of a licensed professional to obtain accurate and timely information from the division’s staff, the current situation speaks volumes. 

Last session, the Legislature delivered to the governor’s desk two bills receiving bipartisan and unanimous support to collect data on the processing of license applications. Both bills were vetoed. In his absolute veto of one of the bills, Gov. Phil Murphy stated the division was “well-equipped” to identify weak spots and to implement solutions when delays are identified.

With the continued license application backlog, as well as the large number of board vacancies, it is hard to reconcile the governor’s statement with the current operational reality.

And then there’s funding. During the Senate Commerce Committee meeting, there was discussion about whether the state’s general fund was the appropriate place to draw money for this bill. We applaud the committee’s acknowledgement that regulated professionals are already paying into this system yet aren’t getting adequate services, and that other funds accessible to the Department of Law and Public Safety should be considered as a funding source. 

The investment of regulated professionals extends far above licensing fees. Our partnership with our communities and development of the next generation of this state’s workforce is invaluable. Ensuring our licensing boards operate efficiently is the least we can do as a state to give licensees a return on their investment. 

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