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07/20/2018

ASAE and ICE Form Professional Certification Coalition

The coalition is looking for support nationwide from nonprofit organizations

In recent months, as there have been more challenges to voluntary professional credentialing across the country, including Ohio, national groups have come to recognize the threat these challenges create. While groups like the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) have had success in some states in pushing back against this legislation, they currently know that 12 states, including Ohio,  introduced bills concerning to the association community this year. They expect to see more legislation introduced around the country in January when many state legislatures begin their work for 2019. 

In order to proactively bring the association community together to combat this legislation, ASAE and The Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) have formed the Professional Certification Coalition (PCC). The mission of the PCC is to inform the state legislative process about voluntary professional certification in the face of state legislative initiatives that would restrict, or even ban, certification.

In most cases, legislation has been introduced to reduce burdens on employment by cutting back on occupational licensing. Non-governmental professional certification programs have been affected by those initiatives, whether intentionally or not. Only a concerted effort by a large and focused coalition of certification organizations resulted in neutralizing that legislation in the form that ultimately passed and was signed into law. To read about legislation in Louisiana and Missouri, click here.

The PCC urges participation from all those involved in professional certification, including certification agencies and programs themselves, professional societies that conduct or support certification and nonprofits or companies that provide of services to professional certification programs.  To view the member benefits and dues structure, click here. To view the website, click here.

The PCC will be a nationwide effort to monitor for this legislation, to interface with stakeholders supporting and opposing such legislation, and, in states where necessary, to engage in lobbying with the expectation of replicating the success in Louisiana. ICE and ASAE will serve as the steering committee for the coalition.

Please feel free to share this with any interested colleagues in the community. Any organization or company involved in professional certification is urged to learn more about the PCC and to consider joining its efforts. To join or for more information, contact the ASAE Public Policy Department at publicpolicy@asaecenter.org.

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