New York's Licensing Ups and Downs

Dutchess County wants to license electricians…or maybe it doesn't. Okay, it does…sort of. For more than 5 years, legislators in the New York borough have killed and then resuscitated a proposal that would require electricians to have a master's license or work for someone who does. Supporters of the stop-and-start bill say it would increase safety and weed out “handymen,” while opponents argue legitimate wiremen will be muscled out of the market by big contractors. After a four-year hiatus, County Legislators Bob Clearwater (R) and Bill McCabe (D) reintroduced the bill in January, and it's been an up-and-down ride ever since. The state legislature will decide in January if the county can make the law official — barring another sudden change of heart. (See Timeline).