Investigators report over 650,000 professionals, business owners vulnerable in licensing database cyberattack

Investigators in Washington now believe hackers stole Social Security numbers and other sensitive private data from some of the 650,000 current and former Washington state professionals and business owners whose information was held on a breached state database, Department of Licensing officials have confirmed. The breach affected personal data including social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, and dates of birth in active, expired, revoked, or suspended licenses for most professions and businesses requiring state licensing. The Department of Licensing is alerting individuals that could have been affected by the breach and will provide them with credit monitoring and identity theft protection, Government Technology reports.

New Mexico bill to streamline licensure passes House vote

A New Mexico bill to optimize professional licensure is headed for a senate vote after passing the state’s House last week. This bill provides “a faster and more efficient path for professionals and their working spouses who want to come to New Mexico to work and pursue a career,” according to Economic Development Cabinet Secretary Alicia J. Keyes. The bill is meant to provide equitable access to jobs and greater flexibility. It removes a four-year high school requirement for barber and cosmetologist instructor applicants and changes the grounds for refusal to issue or renew, suspend, or revoke a license. Read about it at the Los Alamos Daily Post.

Threaders see barriers to licensure removed

Threading practitioners in Kansas will have a much easier time obtaining licensure in the state if a bill passes an upcoming State Senate vote. The bill, which has been recommended for passage by the Public Health and Welfare Committee, would exempt threading from Board of Cosmetology licensing requirements. Currently, though the ancient skill of threading is not on the state’s cosmetology school curriculum, threaders need over 1,000 hours of training for unrelated skills to get their licenses. The proposed bill would remove those requirements for threaders that don’t provide other services and use traditional tools. The bill is in response to a 2020 lawsuit filed by the Kansas Justice Institute. In related news, we recently reported that a company in Texas filed a civil rights lawsuit against the state of Iowa for requiring that hair-threading professionals undergo 600 hours of “useless” training for a license.

New DSPS Military Pathways Grant Program opens for applications

Wisconsin’s Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) is taking applications for the new Military Pathways Grant Program, which expedites professional licensing for current and former military members. The grant program is meant to support active-duty military and veterans while addressing labor issues in the state. It will award up to $50,000 to training institutions seeking to create formal tracks to help military members satisfy occupational licensing requirements with training completed during their service. Read more at the Racine County Eye.

Detroit reassessing licensing process for recreational marijuana

Detroit may restructure how it approaches recreational marijuana licensing with a new ordinance to govern the process differently. Last year, a U.S. district judge ruled that the city’s previously approved residency requirement was “likely unconstitutional.” The city’s marijuana industry has largely been on hold since that ruling because there isn’t a clear path to licensure for entrepreneurs. Read more about it here.

Also noteworthy:

• Opinion: smart licensing will protect infrastructure (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
• Viewpoint: Licensing boards must be accountable to Oklahomans (The Oklahoman)
• Ten legislative and policy trends for licensing boards and associations in 2022 (Lexology)
• Stakeholders say joining interstate licensure compact would significantly increase access to behavioral health services in Colorado (State of Reform)

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