Mayer: Senate Committee Hears Legislation to Curb Excessive Rules and Regulations

Measure Would Help Tear Down Economic Barriers for All Businesses

JEFFERSON CITY – Thanks to legislation sponsored by Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, Missouri business owners are one step closer to greater freedom from excessive and overly burdensome state rules and regulations. The measure, Senate Bill 469, was heard today by the Senate Jobs, Economic Development and Local Government Committee and is one of several Senate bills aimed at putting Missourians back to work.

“An important part of the jobs solution is making sure Missourians can exercise their freedom to earn a living,” said Dixon. “Burdensome regulations can be barriers that stifle job growth and make Missouri less competitive. This is one way we can go back to basics and make government work for Missourians.”

Chairman of the committee, Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, said the bill was a priority for his committee.

“Missouri must be ready to compete when it comes to businesses expanding or relocating here,” Schmitt said. “Few things can bring private sector growth to a halt more quickly than overly contrived red tape. That is why we must bring better oversight and accountability to rein in extreme rules and regulations.”

In an October 2011 Gallup poll, small-business owners ranked compliance with government regulations as the most important problem facing them today.

Senate Bill 469 would require state agencies to review and reconsider regulations on a regular basis. The bill would give each regulation a limited shelf life of 10 years, increase agency accountability, and improve legislative oversight.

Each regulation would have an automatic expiration date. Renewal would require agencies to review the rule to determine whether it is outdated, duplicative, conflicts with other rules, is burdensome or narrowly tailored and then make necessary changes while still providing adequate protection of the public.

“We sunset statutes and programs, and term limit legislators,” said Dixon, “but ineffective or burdensome regulations don’t have an expiration date. This bill would put a process in place to review these rules regularly.”

The bill is a priority that was outlined in Senate Leader Robert N. Mayer’s opening day address to the Senate. Mayer said the measure is part of a comprehensive package of bills that are aimed to help spur job creation.

“We must tear down the walls that are economic barriers to all Missouri businesses,” Mayer, R-Dexter, said. “Our plan in the Senate starts by curbing excessive and overly burdensome regulations that affect all business – big and small.”

A supporting vote by the committee would recommend the bill for debate by the full Senate. To learn more about this bill or to track its progress, visit www.senate.mo.gov.