Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation Wednesday making the state the first in the nation to automatically grant occupational licenses to anyone who moves there with an unblemished credential from another state.
The action removes a barrier for doctors, manicurists, home inspectors and just about anyone else who needs a license to do their job.
"You don't lose your skills simply because you pack up a U-Haul truck and make the decision to move to Arizona," Ducey, a Republican, said after arriving to a news conference in a U-Haul truck.
Critics say licenses ensure that professionals are trained in how to do their jobs safely and worry that newcomers may arrive from states with easier licensing requirements in some fields.