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Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses outlines licensing system rollout, staffing and cash‑balance challenges
Summary
DOPL officials told the House Resources and Conservation Committee the agency completed a two‑phase rollout of a new licensing system called OASIS, is reviewing board rules ahead of an executive‑order deadline, and faces turnover and board cash‑balance issues that will take time to resolve.
Colby Redish, lead counsel for the Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses (DOPL), presented an annual agency update to the House Resources and Conservation Committee, outlining a multiyear information‑technology consolidation, staffing pressures and ongoing financial work for board accounts.
Redish said DOPL oversees more than 250,000 licensees through more than 45 boards and commissions and three safety programs; he said the division comprises roughly 267 employees and more than 277 board members. He described a multi‑year effort to consolidate 11 legacy licensing systems into a single platform called OASIS. According to Redish, more than half of licensees moved to OASIS on July 1, 2024, and the remaining licensees transitioned on Nov. 4, 2024.
Redish told the committee the division is on track to complete its administrative‑rule reviews under Executive Order 2021 (zero‑based regulation) one year ahead of the five‑year deadline and listed several pieces of proposed executive agency legislation, including an update to the controlled‑substances act, a board consolidation proposal for residential care and nursing‑home administrators, and a bill related to criminal background checks and fingerprinting.
Redish said turnover remains a challenge in certain job classifications and reported an average turnover rate of about 26.9% for fiscal year 2024 and a current turnover rate of about 11.6%. He said DOPL is seeking spending authority to increase inspector pay in building‑construction and real‑estate bureaus.
On finances, Redish described long‑standing cash balances on some board accounts that "have accumulated over many years and cannot be resolved quickly," and said the division has implemented tools such as consolidated financial projections, temporary rules to reduce fees and two‑year renewal cycles to address balances. He said the division has requested authority to allow "fee holidays" and has proposed board consolidations to achieve efficiencies.
Redish concluded by saying DOPL has met or exceeded turnaround goals for permitting and inspections and that the division is prioritizing customer service and public safety as it continues to develop operations.
Committee members asked some operational questions, and one committee member recounted a positive, in‑person customer experience with DOPL staff when completing a contractor registration online.
