by Kevin Wheatley, @KWheatley_cn2 –
Gov. Matt Bevin is asking businesses, cabinet secretaries and state employees to identify unnecessary state regulations as he looks to make the state more business-friendly.
Bevin’s administration unveiled his Red Tape Reduction initiative on Wednesday, promising to cut the more than 4,500 regulations on Kentucky’s books.
In a news release, Bevin’s office said the push will improve the state’s business climate by revising its regulations. The administration has also set up a website, www.RedTapeReduction.com, for suggestions.
“While some regulations are very necessary and protect the public safety, others can stifle economic growth, impose unnecessary costs on businesses and impede private sector investment,” Bevin said in a statement.
“These costs all get passed through to the consumer. I constantly hear from business owners that confusing government mandates and red tape are huge challenges for them. There are more than 4,500 state regulations on the books in Kentucky, and only 15 to 20 percent of them have ever been reviewed for effectiveness or ongoing need. This suffocating red tape is a problem that must be fixed and, with the help of all Kentuckians, we intend to do just that.”
Bevin’s press release included praise from those working in Kentucky’s business community, and Republican legislative leaders expressed their support as well.
“This initiative has been a long time coming, and I, on behalf of Kentucky businesses, could not be more pleased that this is taking place,” Kentucky Chamber of Commerce President Dave Adkisson said in a statement. “I commend Gov. Bevin, and our members will take an active role in identifying outdated or cumbersome regulations.”
Ron Wolf, director of external relations for the Associated General Contractors of Kentucky, said bureaucratic red tape “adds to the cost of a facility and doesn’t quickly adapt to new construction practices.”
“The regulations often don’t take into account new technologies that are now available to a general contractor or electricians, but the new technologies are not approved in current regulations,” he said in a statement.
House Minority Floor Leader Jeff Hoover said the push to review Kentucky’s regulatory landscape “is long overdue” while Senate President Robert Stivers said the upper chamber has pushed regulatory reform in the General Assembly to no avail.
“I personally introduced legislation to draw in regulations and have had many conversations with Governor Bevin about the necessity of this issue,” Stivers, R-Manchester, said in a statement. “I, along with the Senate, applaud the Bevin Administration for moving forward. This will create a better business environment and help create Kentucky jobs.”
