Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Regulatory Reform topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee hears bill requiring agencies to repeal two rules for each new rule (House Bill 4039)
Summary
Representative Outman presented House Bill 4039, a 'two-for-one' regulatory reform that would require state agencies to eliminate two outdated regulations for every new rule adopted; proponents argued the approach reduces unnecessary red tape and makes Michigan more attractive for investment.
The Michigan House Rules Committee heard testimony on House Bill 4039, which would require state departments and agencies to eliminate two existing regulations for every new regulation they promulgate.
Representative Outman described the measure as a way to “lift the burden of over regulation” without additional taxpayer cost. He said the policy is modeled on a federal approach used during the Trump administration and by several states, and that it aims to remove outdated, duplicative or overly burdensome rules while preserving core protections such as drinking water and workplace safety standards.
Outman said the bill is intended to create a regular discipline for agencies to review and remove unnecessary rules and that he wrote the legislation broadly to allow refinement during the committee process.
Vice Chair Whitworth asked why the bill requires two repeals for each new rule and what would happen if agencies could not find two rules to rescind. Outman said two was a tested starting point used in other jurisdictions and expressed confidence that duplicative or obsolete regulations exist for removal. Representative DeBoer likened the bill to “cleaning out your closet,” saying the requirement encourages agencies to look at cumulative regulatory burdens rather than continually adding new provisions.
Committee members discussed the bill’s intent to compel agencies to perform rule reviews they should already be conducting as part of regulatory management. No committee vote was recorded on House Bill 4039 during the session; Representative Outman asked committee members for feedback to refine the proposal.
The bill’s testimony referenced other states adopting similar policies, including Georgia, Missouri, Arizona, and North Carolina. No stakeholder roll calls or committee actions on the measure were recorded in the transcript.
