House sponsors urge letting applicants use ITINs instead of Social Security numbers for state professional licenses

Lawmakers and sponsors told the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure that House Bill 451 would allow applicants for state professional licenses who lack Social Security numbers to submit Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) instead. Sponsors framed the change as a straightforward administrative fix to increase access to licensure for immigrants and internationally trained professionals.

Why it matters: Testimony argued that Massachusetts needs more skilled workers—barbers, plumbers, HVAC technicians and others—and that current licensing systems that require Social Security numbers exclude qualified people who legally reside in the U.S. and pay taxes under ITINs. Sponsors said the bill would not alter training, testing or public‑safety requirements; it would only provide a different, verifiable numeric identifier.

Supporters’ testimony: Representative Francisco Portillo and Representative Rita Mendez, co‑sponsors, said the bill would provide uniformity among boards and enable thousands of qualified workers to obtain licenses. They referenced related policy changes (for example, licensure pathways for internationally trained physicians and driver’s license expansions) as precedents for using alternative identification to improve workforce supply.

Committee questions and next steps: Committee members expressed general interest and asked for follow‑up details about board rules and implementation. No formal action was recorded during the hearing; sponsors were asked to provide any needed statutory language to ensure uniform application across licensing boards.

Ending: The hearing included brief public discussion and the committee requested written language clarifications. No vote was taken during the session.