Roegner-McColley Bill Slashing Red Tape Becomes Law
March 11, 2022
Kristina D. Roegner News
COLUMBUS -- On Thursday the Governor signed Senate Bill 9, legislation sponsored by State Senators Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson) and Rob McColley (R-Napoleon), that will cut burdensome regulatory red tape on Ohio’s businesses and provide critical emergency funding to Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections.
This legislation will require Ohio’s state agencies to reduce the overall number of state regulations by 30 percent over three years. Researchers at the Mercatus Center released the 2020 version of their State RegData project, analyzing the regulations of 44 states plus District of Columbia. Ohio ranked in the top five of the most restrictive states.
"Senate Bill 9 will restore the number of regulations in Ohio to a healthy level," said Roegner. "Even when passed with the best of intentions, the accumulation of new laws and regulations overtime slow economic growth and employment opportunities. This bill will clean out the sludge in our state's economic engine."
Senate Bill 9, passed by the Senate last spring, requires Ohio's state agencies to reduce the overall number of state regulations by 30 percent over three years. By targeting burdensome regulatory restrictions, Senate Bill 9 will eliminate outdated, unnecessary red tape and bring Ohio's regulatory environment more in line with national averages. If agencies are unable to meet the 30 percent requirement, an agency is able to appeal directly to the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review to lower the target.
”Senate Bill 9 is a recognition that the state legislature has a role to play in ensuring that government is no more burdensome than it need to be and that government doesn’t continue to grow unchecked,” said McColley. “SB 9 will take a major step in ensuring that outdated useless and overly burdensome regulations are eliminated for both our public and private sectors.”
An amendment was included to provide $9 million in funds for county boards of elections to help with costs of preparing for Ohio’s upcoming May primary elections. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose requested the $9 million appropriation to help elections officials manage the unprecedented demands of preparing for the upcoming May 3rd primary election. These important resources will be utilized for labor, additional support by board vendors for database reprogramming and election management, as well as ballot production and printing.
“This additional funding will help the boards of elections mitigate some of the additional overhead burden they’ll face while also avoiding the significantly higher cost of a bifurcated primary. Bipartisan election officials are working to address this massive challenge, but we will never cut corners when it comes to access or security. This funding will help us deliver on that crucial mission,” said LaRose.
Organizations around the state had the following to say about Senate Bill 9:
“The Buckeye Institute applauds the Senate for continuing regulatory reform and cutting bureaucratic red tape. Ohio must eliminate many of the unnecessary regulations that strangle our businesses and keep our citizens from working. By requiring state agencies to review existing rules and identify regulatory restrictions ripe for elimination, Senate Bill 9 is part of such an effort,” said Greg Lawson, Research Fellow at The Buckeye Institute.
“NFIB members have consistently ranked unreasonable government regulations as a significant impediment to success. For small business owners, the cost of compliance is twenty percent greater than larger companies,” said Roger Geiger, Executive Director for NFIB in Ohio. “On behalf of Ohio’s small business community, NFIB expresses our sincere appreciation to both Senate President Matt Huffman and Speaker of the House Bob Cupp for their leadership, and to the primary bill sponsors Senators Kristina Roegner and Rob McColley.”
“We are pleased to see the signing of Senate Bill 9 as it will bring about sweeping regulatory reform to Ohio’s business climate,” said Steve Stivers, President & CEO of the Ohio Chamber. “The 30 percent overall reduction of regulatory restrictions coupled with removing two existing regulations for every new one regulation will help to eliminate hurdles for Ohio businesses as well as promote a more pro-business regulatory environment. We want to thank Senators McColley and Roegner, Senate President Huffman and Speaker Cupp for their leadership on this bill throughout the legislative process. Additionally, we want to thank former Senate President Larry Obhof for spearheading these efforts in the previous two General Assemblies, as well as Governor DeWine for signing this very important piece of legislation.”
“We applaud Speaker Bob Cupp and the Ohio General Assembly for passage of Senate Bill 9. In establishing an aggressive 30 percent regulatory reduction goal and, as a backstop, adding greater teeth to the one-in, two-out regulatory budget, this bill can jumpstart critical relief for the state,” said Americans for Prosperity – Ohio Legislative Director, Jeff Dillon. “We thank all those involved for their work. The sponsors of this legislation, Senator Rob McColley & Senator Kristina Roegner, who are relentless in their drive for a bolder, better Buckeye state.”
For more on Senate Bill 9, click here.
This legislation will require Ohio’s state agencies to reduce the overall number of state regulations by 30 percent over three years. Researchers at the Mercatus Center released the 2020 version of their State RegData project, analyzing the regulations of 44 states plus District of Columbia. Ohio ranked in the top five of the most restrictive states.
"Senate Bill 9 will restore the number of regulations in Ohio to a healthy level," said Roegner. "Even when passed with the best of intentions, the accumulation of new laws and regulations overtime slow economic growth and employment opportunities. This bill will clean out the sludge in our state's economic engine."
Senate Bill 9, passed by the Senate last spring, requires Ohio's state agencies to reduce the overall number of state regulations by 30 percent over three years. By targeting burdensome regulatory restrictions, Senate Bill 9 will eliminate outdated, unnecessary red tape and bring Ohio's regulatory environment more in line with national averages. If agencies are unable to meet the 30 percent requirement, an agency is able to appeal directly to the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review to lower the target.
”Senate Bill 9 is a recognition that the state legislature has a role to play in ensuring that government is no more burdensome than it need to be and that government doesn’t continue to grow unchecked,” said McColley. “SB 9 will take a major step in ensuring that outdated useless and overly burdensome regulations are eliminated for both our public and private sectors.”
An amendment was included to provide $9 million in funds for county boards of elections to help with costs of preparing for Ohio’s upcoming May primary elections. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose requested the $9 million appropriation to help elections officials manage the unprecedented demands of preparing for the upcoming May 3rd primary election. These important resources will be utilized for labor, additional support by board vendors for database reprogramming and election management, as well as ballot production and printing.
“This additional funding will help the boards of elections mitigate some of the additional overhead burden they’ll face while also avoiding the significantly higher cost of a bifurcated primary. Bipartisan election officials are working to address this massive challenge, but we will never cut corners when it comes to access or security. This funding will help us deliver on that crucial mission,” said LaRose.
Organizations around the state had the following to say about Senate Bill 9:
“The Buckeye Institute applauds the Senate for continuing regulatory reform and cutting bureaucratic red tape. Ohio must eliminate many of the unnecessary regulations that strangle our businesses and keep our citizens from working. By requiring state agencies to review existing rules and identify regulatory restrictions ripe for elimination, Senate Bill 9 is part of such an effort,” said Greg Lawson, Research Fellow at The Buckeye Institute.
“NFIB members have consistently ranked unreasonable government regulations as a significant impediment to success. For small business owners, the cost of compliance is twenty percent greater than larger companies,” said Roger Geiger, Executive Director for NFIB in Ohio. “On behalf of Ohio’s small business community, NFIB expresses our sincere appreciation to both Senate President Matt Huffman and Speaker of the House Bob Cupp for their leadership, and to the primary bill sponsors Senators Kristina Roegner and Rob McColley.”
“We are pleased to see the signing of Senate Bill 9 as it will bring about sweeping regulatory reform to Ohio’s business climate,” said Steve Stivers, President & CEO of the Ohio Chamber. “The 30 percent overall reduction of regulatory restrictions coupled with removing two existing regulations for every new one regulation will help to eliminate hurdles for Ohio businesses as well as promote a more pro-business regulatory environment. We want to thank Senators McColley and Roegner, Senate President Huffman and Speaker Cupp for their leadership on this bill throughout the legislative process. Additionally, we want to thank former Senate President Larry Obhof for spearheading these efforts in the previous two General Assemblies, as well as Governor DeWine for signing this very important piece of legislation.”
“We applaud Speaker Bob Cupp and the Ohio General Assembly for passage of Senate Bill 9. In establishing an aggressive 30 percent regulatory reduction goal and, as a backstop, adding greater teeth to the one-in, two-out regulatory budget, this bill can jumpstart critical relief for the state,” said Americans for Prosperity – Ohio Legislative Director, Jeff Dillon. “We thank all those involved for their work. The sponsors of this legislation, Senator Rob McColley & Senator Kristina Roegner, who are relentless in their drive for a bolder, better Buckeye state.”
For more on Senate Bill 9, click here.