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Curbing Regulations

Both Senate Leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Thom Tillis say "regulatory reform" will be a big part of their agenda this year. The pair say they want to cut down on excessive regulations that hurt businesses. STATUS: Several broad regulatory reform bills have been filed. House and Senate lawmakers could not agree on a final version of a bill that would replace members of several state boards and commissions. A new version of that measure is now on the move. Also, several bill that would call on agencies to do away with administrative rules are moving through the General Assembly.

"Regulatory reform is something you're going to see an emphasis on," Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger said the week before the legislative session started. "As long as you have unelected individuals with the authority to pass rules, you have the need for elected members of the General Assembly to review those rules and make sure the bureaucracy is not over-stepping its bounds." 

During the 2011-12 General Assembly, lawmakers made it harder for state agencies to pass administrative rules. This session, bills will likely be aimed a parring back administrative rules that are already in place.

Bills and status: 

Among the bills that fall under the broad heading of regulatory reform are: 

• H 59: Eliminate Safety Insp./Emission Insp. Req: This bill would eliminate the state's vehicle safety inspection program and set changes in place for other types of inspections such as window tinting and emissions. 
• H 32: Periodic Review and Expiration of Rules: This bill would force administrative rules to expire unless they are approved by the General Assembly on an ongoing basis. Administrative rules carry out the intent of laws passed by the legislature. H 74, which was filed days later than H 32, also creates a process for the periodic review of rules
• {{a href="external_link-4}}S 34: Eliminate Obsolete Boards and Commissions{{/a}}: This bill would eliminate several volunteer boards, including the legislative Committee on Dropout Prevention. It is similar to S 10: Eliminate Obsolete Boards and Commissions.

Different versions of SB 10, a bill that would eliminate some boards and commissions and allow Gov. Pat McCrory to replace appointees on others have cleared the Senate and House. The measure has been sent to a conference committee to work out the differences.

Update 5/13/13: House and Senate lawmakers could not agree on a final version of a bill that would replace members of several state boards and commissions. A new version of that measure, dubbed Son of 10, has cleared the state House and is now pending in the Senate.

H 74, which would set up a process to get rid of obsolete rules, saw its first committee action on Feb. 13. Sponsors say they want more input on the bill before moving forward with drafting it. 

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