Licensing Gas Stoves Raises Costs

New York City’s Intro 429 would ban homeowners and handymen from connecting gas stoves, reserving the task for roughly 1,100 'master plumbers' who could charge about $500 per job. The move illustrates how occupational licensing expands into commonplace tasks, inflating costs without clear safety gains. — This shows how granular licensing rules can ratchet up the cost of living and entrench rent‑seeking, informing national debates over regulatory reform and household autonomy.