A holistic health coach in Florida has been hit with fines and threatened with jail time if she doesn't stop giving out unlicensed diet advice to people. The blogger, Heather Kokesch Del Castillo, has been offering her nutritional advice and health coach services for years to people who have been willing to pay her in exchange for those services.
She used to reside in California, where there is allegedly no license required for her to engage in holistic health coaching. But then because of her family's military responsibilities, they ended up moving to Florida and in that state there are different rules and there were new restrictions.
State authorities weren't pleased with her actions, after a competitor of Heather allegedly decided to report her. They issued her a cease and desist warning, alleging that they see her as being an unlicensed dietitian. And they've already fined her over $750 to start with, she could face more fines and potential jail time--up to 1 year in jail--if she doesn't stop giving out her advice.
If she wants to submit to their requirements, she's going to need to complete a bachelors degree and that would be in addition to the Masters and Bachelors degrees that she already holds. Along with that new degree she would also need to complete hundreds of hours of supervised practice (internship), complete a test on the subject matter, and meet fee payments.
Heather has already admitted that such an option is too lengthy and too costly for her and her family to endure.
In an effort to try and fight for a resolution, Heather has now partnered with the Institute for Justice and has launched a First Amendment lawsuit in response to the incident. They say that the advice that people are seeking from Heather should be considered constitutionally-protected free speech.
The occupational licensing scheme has been criticized by many and said to establish a monopoly in the market, nowadays frequently acting as a special interest censor. And these strict requirements have prevented many people who need to better their lives from being able to work for themselves and provide for their family.
Florida is alleged to have some of the most strict rules surrounding occupational licensing in the country and there have been many attempts to have those rules drastically changed; seeking to deregulate many occupations and professions. The Institute for Justice has been a valuable resource for those fighting back against these restrictions not only in Florida but in many other states as well.
Pics:
Pixabay
IJ
Pixabay
Sources:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=59884&SessionId=86
http://floridapolitics.com/archives/246429-afp-fl-lauds-house-bill-slash-occupational-license-regulations
http://reason.com/blog/2017/10/09/florida-threatens-woman-with-fines-jail
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/452463/florida-woman-threatened-jail-time-unlicensed-diet-tips
http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2017/10/03/health-coach-claims-florida-licensing-laws-violate-first-amendment/728030001/
http://floridapolitics.com/archives/tag/heather-kokesch-del-castillo
http://ij.org/case/florida-diet-coaching/