A new study puts Nevada in the middle of the pack when it comes to the freedom to work. The state should do better.

Earlier this month, the Archbridge Institute released its 2024 state rankings on occupational licensing restrictions. The study looks at the extent to which each state erects hurdles that hinder entrepreneurs and drive up consumer costs.

The five states with the highest occupational licensing barriers, according to the analysis, are Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Oregon and Alabama. The five freest states are Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming, Indiana and New York. Nevada ranks as the 25th worst state for licensing.

This is an improvement over the most recent Institute for Justice survey, which tracks a similar metric. That 2022 report listed Nevada as imposing the second-highest occupational licensing restrictions in the nation. The differences can be attributed to methodology and the fact that the Archbridge Institute gave Nevada credit for implementing a limited reciprocity program that allows those licensed in other states to more easily transfer their accreditation to the Silver State.

Either way, Nevada must strive to improve.

Occupational licensing has exploded in recent decades to the detriment of the job market and consumers, with one in five jobs requiring some sort of government permission slip. While defenders of licensing argue it protects public safety, many such regulations amount to thinly veiled protectionism intended to shield existing practitioners from competition. Few people would quibble with licenses for medical doctors or airline pilots. But why should someone hoping to enter the field of interior design or landscaping be subjected to such capricious edicts?

Nevada is, in fact, one of three states that demand interior designers be licensed. The fact that the citizens of 47 other states manage to survive safely without such a requirement highlights the arbitrary nature of many occupational licensing schemes. “The public safety and health rationale for regulating many of those occupations ranges from dubious to ridiculous,” Maureen K. Ohlhausen, former acting FTC chairman, said in 2017. “Consumers can, and do, easily evaluate the quality of interior designers, make-up artists, hair-braiders and others.”

This issue crosses traditional red and blue state lines. Lawmakers of both major parties have an interest in making it as easy as possible for their citizens to earn an honest living in their chosen field.

Last year, Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo ordered the state’s occupational boards to recommend the elimination of licensing requirements in professions that aren’t regulated in a majority of states. He will make recommendations heading into the 2025 legislative session. The Democrats who control both houses of the Legislature should take his proposals seriously.

The Nevada Gaming Commission will meet at 10 a.m., Thursday at Las Vegas City Hall as the Nevada Gaming Control Board slowly transitions from the Grant Sawyer State Office Building to its new home near Harry Reid International Airport.

Control Board Chairman Kirk Hendrick said at the end of August’s Control Board meeting that he hopes a fitting tribute to Sawyer can be made to remember his contribution to Nevada’s gaming regulatory system.

The state office building is closing this summer after years of complaints about the nearly three-decade-old building.

“This particular building was named after Gov. Grant Sawyer, who was actually a pioneer in modern gaming,” Hendrick said at the conclusion of the board’s Aug. 7 meeting. “He’s often referred to as the father of modern gaming and what he did 65 years ago in creating the Nevada Gaming Commission and the two-tiered system lives on today. I still believe it’s the best gaming system in the world and I would hope as we leave this building, that I would hope that the state would find another way to honor Grant Sawyer, former governor, and find another way to put his name on a building or something suitable.”

Hendrick noted that Sawyer has a Southern Nevada middle school named for him and another building in Northern Nevada bears his name.

Control Board offices already have moved to the new campus at The McCarran Center near Warm Springs Road and Amigo Street. The state complex includes 18 buildings, each named for a Nevada county and the state. The Control Board is based on two floors of the Washoe Building, 7 State of Nevada Way. But officials haven’t determined where Control Board and Gaming Commission meetings will be conducted.

“The board has had its own hearing room at least since the 1980s on Maryland Parkway,” Hendrick said. “This will be the first time the Gaming Control Board doesn’t have its own (hearing) room. We are looking forward to the new rooms that we will be sharing over on the new Southern Nevada campus and we will keep the public apprised of that.”

Kendrick said it’s possible regulatory meetings and workshops would be conducted at municipality council chambers or at Clark County until a meeting space is ready to permanently occupy.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.

The 2024 Little League World Series rolls on Monday with the first of two United States contests, a matchup between Hawaii and Nevada. The game is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. ET with TV coverage on ESPN and streaming on-demand.

• Watch: Live streams of the Hawaii vs. Nevada game at the 2024 Little League World Series are available with offers from FuboTV (free trial), SlingTV (low intro rate) and DirecTV Stream (free trial).

Hawaii vs. Nevada

Little League World Series 2024

When: Monday, Aug. 19 at 3 p.m. ET

Where: Lamade Stadium, Williamsport, Pa.

TV channel: ESPN

Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial)

The team from Central East Maui Little League in Wailuku, Hawaii, represents the West Region and looks to move ahead in the Little League World Series winners bracket. Hawaii blanked Illinois, 5-0, on Friday to set up the contest with Nevada. That side is from Paseo Verde Little League and looks to stack a second win on top of Friday’s 9-1 outcome over Staten Island (N.Y.).

Hawaii and Nevada are set for a 3 p.m. ET start on ESPN. Live streams are available from FuboTV (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial) and SlingTV (low intro rate).

Here’s the full 2024 Little League World Series schedule with times, TV channels and matchups (where known). The tournament runs through Sunday’s World Championship Game between the United States and International champions.

2024 LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES

SCHEDULE & RESULTS

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 14

Game 1: Mexico 2, Aruba 0
Game 2: Hawaii 3, New Hampshire 1
Game 3: Chinese Taipei 8, Canada 0
Game 4: Florida 2, South Dakota 1

THURSDAY, AUG. 15
Game 5: Japan 11, Puerto Rico 0
Game 6: Nevada 9, New York 1
Game 7: Cuba 4, Czechia 1
Game 8: Texas 9, Pennsylvania 0

FRIDAY, AUG. 16
Game 9: Venezuela 10, Mexico 0
Game 10: Hawaii 5, Illinois 0
Game 11: Chinese Taipei 11, Australia 0
Game 12: Florida 6, Washington 1

SATURDAY, AUG. 17
Game 13: Canada 12, Puerto Rico 5
Game 14: Staten Island (NY) 6, South Dakota 3
Game 15: Aruba 8, Czechia 3
Game 16: Pennsylvania 5, New Hampshire 0

SUNDAY, AUG. 18
Game 17: Staten Island (NY) 4, Illinois 0
Game 18: Mexico 8, Canada 0
Game 19: Pennsylvania 12, Washington 2
Game 20: Aruba 3 Australia 0

MONDAY, AUG. 19

All four games air on ESPN

Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial)
1 p.m., Game 21: Japan vs. Venezuela
3 p.m., Game 22: Nevada vs. Hawaii
5 p.m., Game 23: Chinese Taipei vs. Cuba
7 p.m., Game 24: Florida vs. Texas

TUESDAY, AUG. 20

Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial)
1 p.m., Game 25: Aruba vs. TBD on ESPN
3 p.m., Game 26: Pennsylvania vs. TBD on ESPN
5 p.m., Game 27: Mexico vs. TBD on ESPN
7 p.m., Game 28: Staten Island vs. TBD on ESPN

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 21

Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial)
1 p.m., Game 29 on ESPN
3 p.m., Game 30 on ESPN
5 p.m., Game 31 on ESPN
7 p.m., Game 32 on ESPN

THURSDAY, AUG. 22

Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial)
3 p.m., Game 33 on ESPN
5 p.m., T-Mobile Little League Home Run Derby
7 p.m., Game 34 on ESPN

FRIDAY, AUG. 23

Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial)
7 p.m., T-Mobile Little League Home Run Derby airing on ESPN

SATURDAY, AUG. 24

Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial)
12:30 p.m.: International Championship on ABC
3:30 p.m.: U.S. Championship on ABC

SUNDAY, AUG. 25

Live streams: FuboTV (free trial) | SlingTV (low intro rate) | DirecTV Stream (free trial)
10 a.m: Consolation Game on ESPN2
3 p.m.: World Series Championship on ABC