To help improve efficiency, consistency, and accountability across agencies, many state governments employ a centralized approach to regulation where one or two “umbrella agencies” are charged with oversight of the state’s individual occupational licensing boards. The responsibilities and structures of these umbrella agencies vary by state, but taking a centralized approach can have several benefits.
Although each occupational licensing board is ultimately unique, many of the processes they carry out in their day-to-day work are common across occupations, such as processing licensing and renewals, managing complaints and investigations, and adjudicating disciplinary matters. Umbrella agencies can not only improve efficiency across these regulatory processes, but other administrative and operational processes – like IT services, communications, HR, and public relations – can be improved as well.
Colorado is one of more than 20 states taking a centralized approach to regulation. Officially created in 1968, the Department of Regulatory Agencies (known as “DORA”), the state’s regulatory umbrella agency, is charged with managing licensing and registration for multiple professions and businesses, implementing balanced regulation for Colorado industries, and protecting consumers. The department is responsible for over 40 boards, commissions, and advisory committees, which are tasked with administering more than 50 regulatory programs.
DORA is comprised of 10 distinct divisions, more than 312 board members, and over 600 professional regulatory staff. The Division of Professions and Occupations (DPO) provides consumer protection through its regulation of over 500,000 licensees, registrants, certificants, and permit holders for more than 55 professions, occupations, and businesses in the state.
Ronne Hines, who recently moved on from her longstanding role as director of DPO, joined Ascend Radio host Paul Leavoy to talk about her work at DORA, regulatory collaboration, her experience serving as president of the Council on Licensure, Enforcement, and Regulation (CLEAR), and more. Their conversation touches on:
- The benefits of having a centralized regulatory umbrella agency.
- The benefits and opportunities of regulatory collaboration through CLEAR.
- Lessons learned from her time as president of CLEAR.
- The role regulators can play in alleviating labor shortages.
- Improving licensing mobility by reducing barriers for veterans, military spouses, formerly incarcerated individuals, and internationally trained professionals.
- Digital transformation and regulatory resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, how prepared we are for future public health emergencies, and much more.
For background information on how different umbrella agencies across the U.S. operate and to learn more about DORA’s work, check out these resources:
- “Evaluating Umbrella Agency Practices,” a resource from CLEAR that compares the structures and practices of regulatory umbrella agencies across the U.S.
- DORA’s “2018 Impact Report,” which highlights the work and achievements of DORA and DPO.
