Mike,
I have read with interest the comments posted. I have been part of a group of electricians working on a State licensing provision for Kansas and it is easy to see why many small contractors prefer the local control system because of the ease of local communication.
I was not able to bring up the Iowa law, but it sounds like some overreach is in the present law and some modification is definitely necessary. The problem we encounter in local law and regulation is lack of uniformity. We have some areas here in Kansas with very good regulation, some with unreasonable regulation and some with no regulationat all. On the other hand, the further up the legislating ladder you go the more unresponsive to local needs it becomes. Somehow we need to achieve State legislation that gives a broad umbrella of protection for the public, but leaves the minutia, financing and enforcement at the local level.
I would hate to see a state licensing law repealed but would urge that instead, serious thought be given to the ammendment of this law to eliminate the more agregeous provisions. Unfortunately I have no real voice in this particular debate but it is far easier to modify an existing law than it is to start again from scratch. Wes Gerrans January 5 2011, 1:10 pm EST
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January 2011. NEMA reports that there is an attack underway in the State of Iowa Legislature that will repeal the Electrical Licensing Laws in the State. If this attack is successful, it will have a profound effect on the State’s ability to mandate that electricians in Iowa are properly trained and qualified to perform safe electrical installations. 
