LARA - Office of Regulatory Reinvention Achieves 1,000 Rule Elimination Milestone

Office of Regulatory Reinvention Achieves 1,000 Rule Elimination Milestone

Contact: John Groen 517-373-9280

Agency: Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

January 9, 2013 - Governor Rick Snyder announced today 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 The ORR and Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently rescinded the Solid Waste Alternative Program rules that led to reaching of this milestone.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.

A significant number of the rules rescinded have been from the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development with 296 administrative rules rescinded. Other departments that rescinded a significant number of administrative rules were: the DEQ with the elimination of 170 rules; the Department of Technology, Management and Budget with the elimination of 161 rules; and the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs with the elimination of 156 rules. For a complete list of rules that were eliminated, visit: http://michigan.gov/documents/lara/Rescinded_Rules_Log_407751_7.pdf

"The rules eliminated range from obsolete to excessively burdensome," commented Acting Chief Regulatory Officer/ORR Director Steve Arwood. "We aren't close to being finished with our work to improve Michigan's regulatory climate. We expect to continue to make many reforms to improve Michigan's business climate while maintaining necessary protections for Michigan's citizens."

The ORR convened eight ARCs in 2012. The ORR has publicly released its recommendations for five areas: Environmental, Insurance & Finance, Liquor Control, Occupational Licensing, and Workplace Safety.

"The elimination of unnecessary rules is just one piece of the overall reinvention of our regulatory climate," said LARA deputy director Rob Nederhood. "The ORR has been very proactive in working with stakeholders to make recommendations to improve Michigan's regulatory system. Strong partnerships with the legislature and other departments have led to much success in implementing our recommendations already."

The ORR has implemented 43 of its recommendations to Gov. Snyder. To view the ORR's scorecard, visit: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/lara/ORR_Scorecard_382837_7.pdf

ORR Eliminates 1,000th Rule, Supporting Business Growth and Job Creation

For more information about LARA, please visit www.michigan.gov/lara

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