[Note: This is the second in a group of articles reviewing occupational licensing reviews for the first five-plus years of the Occupational Board Reform Act. For more context, see this post.]
The Business and Labor Committee has reviewed a number of licenses from 2019 to 2024. Their areas of review included:
- Boiler Safety/Pressure Vessel Inspectors
- Contractors and Subcontractors
- Professional Employer Organizations
- Locksmiths
The General Affairs Committee, during the same time, reviewed the following licenses:
- Electricians (multi-level)
- Boxing Promoters
- Professional Boxers
- Horse Trainers & Jockeys
- Mixed Martial Arts
Several things emerged from these reviews.
- As was the case in the Agriculture Committee and Banking, Commerce, and Insurance Committee Reports, many licenses are not strictly licenses, requiring specific education or proven skills, but rather serve as a means of regulating either safety of the public (by registering businesses or individuals).
- These reviews resulted in the ending of one license that had been irregularly managed by county officials.
Business and Labor Committee Reviews (2019-2024)
The Business and Labor Committee recommended that the Boiler/Pressure Vessel Inspector be removed from the OBRA review list, as it is not a state-regulated profession. The State Fire Marshal *authorizes* inspectors, usually employed by insurance companies or acting as private inspectors employed by the state to conduct inspections consistent with the Boiler Inspection Act. Boilers themselves are regulated for safety, and individuals performing inspections must be authorized by the state, but there isn’t a state-issued occupational license for entry into that work based on state-defined personal qualification.
Contractors and Subcontractors are required to register with the Department of Labor for a modest registration fee of $25. The process is online and based on business information. The conclusion was that this is primarily a “business registration,” since there are no personal pre-requisites required to register.
Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) requirements are more akin to business registrations (like Contractors and Subcontractors) than individual licensing. They typically serve as a means of outsourcing certain functions (like payroll or human relations) for small businesses. The goal is to allow the Department of Labor (with whom PEOs register) to be able to identify potentially problematic business entities through registration and verification of business history. The committee recommended no change, although like Contractors and Subcontractors, this is more of a business registration function than a licensing function.
Key findings of the Locksmith review showed that while their license was based on state statute, individual locksmiths were licensed at the county level by the county clerks. The committee polled county clerks to get more information. Only 15 states were identified as licensing locksmiths. Nebraska’s requirements were minimal, and required only a $5 fee and application information provided to the County Clerk. Many clerks reported seldom (or never) issuing licenses, and it appeared that the primary reason for having a license was to limit who could be in possession of locksmithing tools. In 2021, the Business and Labor Committee introduced LB169 to remove the state-level requirements for Locksmith licensing. Some counties may still require registration for locksmiths in their county, but the LB169 was passed, removing all state licensing for that occupation.
General Affairs Committee Reviews (2019-2024)
There are several layers of electrical licenses, including: Electrical Contractors, Journeyman Electricians, Residential Electricians, Specialty Electricians, and Apprentice Electricians. The State Electrical Board, under the jurisdiction of the General Affairs Committee, noted that Nebraska’s standards for all of those licenses are aligned with the National Electrical Reciprocal Alliance, and that alignment makes transferring licenses from state to state more easy. The Committee recommended no changes to the current licensing structure of electricians licenses.
Boxing Promoters (and Professional Boxers) are licenses that many people would never think about. They are licensed by the Nebraska Athletic Commission, and the State Athletic Commissioner has significant discretion. The primary regulatory purpose is to ensure fair and competitive fights and to minimize injury risk to athletes. Promoters bear responsibility for organizing bouts and adhering to health and safety requirements. The committee recommended that that these “occupations” continue to be licensed and regulated in the state, however noted that several of the standard Occupational Board Reform Act (OBRA) policy goals–like protecting consumers against fraud and unclean facilities were “not applicable” to the regulation of boxing promoters.
The Horse Trainer License (as well as Jockeys) are overseen by the State Racing Commission. These licenses are required in part due to Nebraska’s membership in the National Racing License Compact, which aims for uniform licensing standards across states.
Mixed Martial Arts licensing has been the subject of some confusion in recent years, in part because it is an “evolving sport” and definitions had not been well defined. While regulated at some level by the State Athletic Commissioner, survey responses from the commission did not consider the occupation as subject to OBRA in 2019. In 2025, the Legislature passed LB635, which sought to bring clarity to the question of licensing and regulation of this particular sport.
