Deregulation. The idea sounds appealing, with its aura of less government and more faith in free market principles. But look closer. It’s not a pretty sight.
America has deregulated airlines, railroads and broadcasting — with terrible and unanticipated consequences for us.
Want to fly from Fort Lauderdale to Tallahassee? Forget it. Want a locally owned radio station with lively local programs? Forget it. Every radio station sounds the same because they’re all owned by the same out-of-state faceless conglomerate. There’s a word for that: deregulation.
Now the “de-reg” virus has resurfaced in Tallahassee, where Republican legislators want to wipe away long-standing minimal state oversight of a wide variety of professions, from architects to port pilots. It’s time for lawmakers to stand up to their party’s leaders and quickly send this very bad idea (HB 607) to the legislative graveyard.
It shouldn’t be hard, for one simple reason. The professions that would be deregulated also strongly oppose the idea. They would rather be regulated, and they see credibility in reassuring consumers that somebody is watching them in this state, with charlatans and scammers of all kinds.
Something’s not right
When the slavishly pro-business Florida Legislature goes out of its way to antagonize a core Republican Party constituency — small business owners — something is just not right.
House Bill 607 would remove most or all state oversight of 15 professions, including accountants, barbers, interior designers and real estate appraisers. State boards that supposedly police them and field consumer complaints would disappear, and what little oversight remains would be given to a chronically understaffed Department of Business and Professional Regulation (the boards are too weak, but they’re better than nothing).
Even worse, the bill would end required free continuing education courses that help professionals keep pace with evolving changes such as building code revisions.
At a House subcommittee hearing on Dec. 11, some Republicans couldn’t hide their opposition.
“I have a real problem with trying to diminish in any way the regulation or continuing education of those professions that are involved in the public’s health, safety and welfare,” said Rep. Richard Gentry, R-Astor, whose district in Lake, Marion and Volusia counties is filled with small-town businesses.
He should know. Before politics, Gentry had a career in the home-building industry. Scrapping peer-review continuing education or C.E., as it’s known, would be disastrous, he said.
“There’s nothing in the world as good as a classroom scenario for trying to teach some hardheaded builder that he really shouldn’t be building gable-end houses in a high-wind zone,” Gentry said. “Those are the kinds of things you’re not going to get out of a regulatory agency.”
Tampa architect Peter Hauerstein, speaking for 4,700 Florida members of the American Institute of Architects, also opposed the bill and defended the need for continuing education of one hour a month.
Hauerstein noted that 53% of all architects licensed to do business in Florida live in other states. “So it’s imperative that they keep up to date with our codes, not living here or working here on a regular basis,” he said.
Continuing education promotes competence. This bill would repeal educational standards for barbers, building inspectors, contractors, cosmetologists, engineers, home inspectors, interior designers, real estate brokers and veterinarians, among others. This isn’t removing regulatory barriers; it’s a scammer’s paradise.
What’s going on here? The talk is that this is a “fetcher” bill — a tactic politicians use to extort (“fetch”) campaign money by threatening groups with unwanted legislation. Pony up enough dough and the bill dies. In Tallahassee, that’s always a distinct possibility — especially entering an election year when legislators need money.
“My understanding is that this is one of Mat Bahl’s priorities,” said Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, who voted no on the bill.
Bahl is House Speaker Daniel Perez’s chief of staff and is widely regarded as the most influential staff member in the Legislature.
Despite that, the bill already appears to be in trouble. It wobbled out of a House subcommittee on an unimpressive 9 to 6 vote as two Republicans joined four Democrats in voting no.
“We’ve got a long way to go,” promised the bill sponsor, Rep. Taylor Yarkosky, R-Montverde, who calls the issue of deregulation an example of Perez’s leadership. “We’re going to get it right, I promise you.”
The easiest way to get this one right is to kill this bill.
The Sun Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Steve Bousquet, Deputy Opinion Editor Dan Sweeney, editorial writers Pat Beall and Martin Dyckman, and Executive Editor Gretchen Day-Bryant. To contact us, email at letters@sun-sentinel.com.
