By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Bruce Rauner is calling on lawmakers to conduct a comprehensive review of professional licensing in the State of Illinois.

Workers from over 250 different job categories, ranging from lie-detection interns and mixed martial arts to auctioneers and hair braiders, must get licensed from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation to work.

Rauner vetoed a measure Friday that would have added more licensing for roofers. Rauner said the bill would curtail an existing right of business owners to do roofing work on their own property.

Rauner said there needs to be a comprehensive review of licensing.

“We license almost everything,” Rauner said. “We have restrictions, regulations and licenses for all kinds of work and service, and my message to the legislature is how about we all get together and talk about licensing.”

Rauner said the last thing the state’s economy needs right now is for state government to add more regulatory burdens for business owners to deal with.

State Sen. Mike Noland, D-Chicago, disagreed with the veto and said he doesn’t see much demand for changing how the state issues professional licenses.

“I think that those who have concerns regarding these various areas of licensure need to come to us and explain what their concerns are,” Noland said.

Rauner said licensing regulations could be impacting the state’s economy.

“One of the reasons our economy is not competitive, one of the reasons we grow so slow, one of the reasons we don’t have enough good-paying jobs, is the regulatory burden, the restrictions.”

Rauner said Illinois’ licensing scheme is outdated, often nonsensical, and out of step with practices in other states.