Regulatory Reform Bills pass next levels

Three bills, reflecting proposals made by Governor Jack Markell in this year’s State of the State address, have passed their respective state legislatures today.

House Bill 147 passed in the House 40-0, in favor of establishing regular reviews of state regulations in Executive Agencies. The bill would require each executive branch agency to conduct a review and in-depth examination of the regulations on its books every four years.

Suggestions for regulations will be open to the public, and the agencies would hold public hearing meetings during the time of each review, which lasts over the course of three months.

Senate Bill 113 is one of two bills that make up the Regulatory Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015. S.B. 113 would require small businesses to submit to a “regulatory impact statement” whenever an executive agency imposes new regulations that would affect the new businesses.

The statements would reflect the estimate of the costs of the businesses to comply with the regulation.

Senate Bill 120 is the other bill to make up the Regulatory Transparency and Accountability Act of 2015. This bill is designed to lessen the burden on small businesses when the executive agency hands down a new regulation.

Small businesses would submit a “regulatory flexibility analysis,” in which agencies would consider how to lessen the burden of the new regulations on the small business. Lawmakers say that includes considering loosening requirements or deadlines.