Harrisburg – With Pennsylvania’s employment rate lagging behind those of other states emerging from the pandemic, the state Senate this week approved several bills to rein in job-stifling regulations, including a bill sponsored by Senator John DiSanto (Dauphin/Perry).
The bills increase legislative oversight of a process too often influenced by unelected bureaucrats, adding special scrutiny for the costliest proposed regulations.
“My 35 years of experience as a business owner showed me that government red tape makes it more difficult to grow a business and create jobs, and I’ve heard the same message repeatedly from other job creators since I’ve been in the Senate,” said DiSanto, whose Senate Bill 520 would require costly regulations to go before the General Assembly for a vote. “Our current regulatory process stifles the economy and vests too much power in unelected government employees and agencies that lack direct accountability to the people. This is a blueprint for regulatory growth and amounts to laws being crafted without the consent of the governed.”
Senate Bill 520 state that no regulation with an economic impact or cost to the Commonwealth, local governments and the private sector exceeding $1 million can be imposed without approval of the General Assembly.
Other regulatory reform measures approved this week were:
- Senate Bill 28 – Ensures transparency in permitting. The bill would require all agencies that issue permits to post information about the permits on an accessible tracking system for applicants to check the status of their applications.
- Senate Bill 126 – Provides for an automatic review after three years of all regulations with an economic impact or cost to the Commonwealth, local governments and the private sector exceeding $1 million.
- Senate Bill 426 – Provides additional legislative oversight of the regulatory review process. The goal of the legislation is to ensure state agencies are implementing the law and not trying to make the laws themselves.
The bills have now been sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.
CONTACT: Chuck Erdman cerdman@pasen.gov (717) 787-6801