Addendum 2: Michigan Leading the way on Deregulation

The adoption of a Right to Work law late in 2012 (which Rio Grande Foundation supports1) was widely reported and remarked upon. Less well known is the state’s ongoing effort to enact regulatory reform.2

From the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA): Governor Rick Snyder has announced that the Office of Regulatory Reinvention (ORR) has achieved the milestone of reducing the number of administrative rules in the state by 1,000. The ORR and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently rescinded the Solid Waste Alternative Program rules that led to reaching of this milestone. This rule set was eliminated at the recommendation of the DEQ and the Advisory Rules Committee (ARC) that reviewed environmental regulations. These rules were obsolete because they covered a grant program that is closed.

"We have made great strides in streamlining Michigan’s regulations, while ensuring health, safety and consumer protections remain," said Gov. Rick Snyder. "We are eliminating nearly 10 rules for every one rule added. The result is that Michigan’s regulatory environment has become more favorable for business growth and job creation, and more user friendly for all of our customers."

Gov. Rick Snyder created the Office of Regulatory Reinvention in April 2011 with the goal of creating a regulatory climate that is simple, fair, efficient, transparent and supportive of business growth and job creation. At the beginning of the ORR’s review, Michigan had 19,230 administrative rules. Today, Michigan has 18,214 administrative rules.

New Mexico should embark upon the same process by closely examining and getting rid of unnecessary and conflicting rules and regulations.