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Shana Norgan struggled with drug addiction and got into trouble with the law. But she accepted her punishment, served her sentence of probation and went on to earn three degrees. Shana wants to become a licensed social worker and therapist to help people recover from what she dealt with.
Michael Grennan also abused drugs, cycling in and out of prison. Like Shana, he got sober, met his probationary requirements and dedicated himself to helping others.
But both were stymied by state licensing laws. Our new study, “Unlock Opportunity: How Michigan’s Licensing Laws Block Second Chances,” shows how hundreds of laws in Michigan block people with criminal backgrounds from finding employment.
Some standards make sense. Employers should know about the criminal backgrounds of their job applicants. If the state requires a license for a given career, it should run a background check on license applicants and have the option to deny a license. But a denial should only happen if the crime was serious and directly related to the industry the applicant wants to go into, and if there is a genuine risk to the public from that person working in that line of work.
The Mackinac Center’s efforts have led to real change. Legislation we supported in 2020 opened dozens of fields to people with criminal backgrounds, including Michael Grennan. Mike and others now have a much easier time getting licensed. He runs his own company, supports his family and serves his community. His story is one reason why the Mackinac Center’s new study highlights the importance — and early success — of Michigan’s reform.
But Shana and other workers aren’t as lucky as Mike. The 2020 changes don’t apply to wide swaths of licensed professions. In health care, education, child care, elder care, law enforcement and other sectors, automatic bans still block opportunities even when employers are fully informed and willing to hire. Licensing boards can still consider decades-old, irrelevant convictions. And the state licensing department has not implemented transparency measures required under the 2020 law. It has published data on only a small fraction of licenses — masking how many people are denied honest work by policies that need reform.
Now lawmakers are weighing new legislation to finish the job. It would apply the 2020 standards across all licensed professions, limit consideration to job-related convictions, require timely preliminary determinations and enforce real data reporting on state offices.
Redemption requires opportunity, and work is one of the most powerful tools for rehabilitation. Michigan should act now. Smart licensing reform isn’t just good policy. It’s an issue of justice, safety and common sense.
