Right to Earn a Livingin Mississippi

For many individuals, this is just a small hurdle on the way to their career. For low income individuals and those with a criminal conviction in their past, this can be the difference in finding meaningful work and returning to a life of crime. The Institute for Justice conducted an extensive analysis of state occupational licensing laws and found that Mississippi requires a license for 55 low- income occupations, more than most other states. The sheer number of occupations requiring licenses limits possibilities for the disadvantaged seeking to reenter the workforce. Mississippi licenses dozens of professions. Besides licensing for doctors and attorneys, the state licenses over 50 occupations with average salaries that fall below the national average. These are natural fits for individuals reentering the workforce. While the Institute for Justice report examines the burden of these restrictions, no analysis has been undertaken to examine which licensing provisions disqualify individuals with a criminal conviction in their past. Of the 43 professions examined, 40 include a restriction related to a criminal conviction in the applicant's past. Mississippi has a workforce shortage, and we have fewer people working than most other states, including our neighbors. By adopting a Fresh Start provision, Mississippi could ensure that unrelated convictions don’t create unnecessary barriers to work for people reentering the workforce.