Steven Greenhut: Hypocritical Contractors Behind Intrusive New Law

California employers often complain about
excessive regulations, unannounced visits to job sites by
inspectors and large fines for small infractions, but the state’s
contracting industry successfully lobbied the legislature to pass a
punitive bill to crack down on its lower-cost competition. Last
week, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law that gives the Contractors
State License Board broader power to investigate job sites,
and imposes hefty new fines on disobedient handymen. Steven
Greenhut writes that he understands the licensed contractors’
frustration given how hard it is to compete with those who have a
lower cost structure. But by lobbying for new rules on others
rather than for less red tape for everyone, they have lost any
right to seriously complain about any additional regulations future
legislatures impose on them.