Substitute Senate Bill 293 Summary

• State agencies must create a "base inventory" of regulatory restrictions in existing rules by December 31, 2019, identifying all rules containing words like "shall," "must," "require," "may not," and "prohibit."

• State agencies must reduce regulatory restrictions by 10% by December 31, 2020, 20% by December 31, 2021, and 30% by December 31, 2022, with agencies unable to adopt new restrictions unless they simultaneously remove two or more existing ones until the target is met.

• Effective January 1, 2023, the state is limited to 70% of the aggregate total of regulatory restrictions identified in base inventories, with agencies required to contact the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review before submitting proposed rules containing regulatory restrictions.

• The Joint Committee must create and maintain a system for agencies to enter regulatory restriction data and inventories, develop a public website conveying restriction reduction information, and prepare annual aggregated reports to the General Assembly beginning June 15, 2020.

• Agencies failing to meet reduction deadlines within 120 days may appear before the Joint Committee to show cause, which may then recommend statutory changes to accommodate compliance difficulties.