Should Missouri require licensed contractors?

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) – All week you’ve been hearing from candidates about the important issues heading into the election.

On Your Side had a question for those participating in the governor’s race. Some of our biggest On Your Side stories involve contractors who get paid but never do the work or are of poor quality. The business fails, but then they start a new one.

Some neighboring states require contractors to be licensed and registered with a professional database. They must also be insured and have a good record. If a customer has a problem, they can file a complaint with the state board, which has the authority to revoke their license.

We asked if the state of Missouri would require contractors to be licensed.

Democrat Crystal Quade:

“I would say yes,” Democrat Crystal Quade said. “And I think this is an area where who is in the Attorney General’s Office is also extremely important. Unfortunately what we are seeing right now through the administration is a lot of money being wasted on, in my opinion, frivolous litigation. You know, instead of looking at things like you just mentioned where people were actually defrauded, we even sued foreign countries like the state of Missouri. We hear about fraudulent phone calls all the time. Many of our seniors get dragged into some of these scams where they distribute money to individuals personally. And the Attorney General’s Office has a serious role to play here, because the governor’s office, of course, relies on the Attorney General to make sure they’re looking out for the best interests of the citizens of Missouri. And to your question, I think this is another area where we don’t hold people accountable, where a lot of times the richest get away with everything because they can be friends with others, or because the people in charge aren’t actually putting pressure anywhere. it should.”

Republican Mike Kehoe:

“I believe we should have licensed contractors,” Republican Mike Kehoe said. “And I know that the Attorney General’s Office, Bailey, has been working hard on this issue. We must continue to provide protection for Missouri citizens from bad actors. Look, there are some really good contractors in this state and in the Springfield area, and they can provide services to people who need repairs to different things that need to be done in their homes or businesses. Bad actors need to be fired. We cannot continue to allow them to defraud Missourians or Missouri businesses. While there are penalties associated with this, including jail time, to send a message to others who might be considering moving here, I think Missouri is a great place for people who want to do this legally and appropriately. “This will not be a good place for those who want to defraud our citizens, it will not be welcome.”

Arkansas, Iowa and Illinois require contractors to be licensed.

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