Pennsylvania Rep. Joshua Kail (R-Beaver/Washington), the chair of the House Republican Policy Committee, said during a regulation hearing Tuesday that commonsense should rule regulation reform to alleviate burdens for businesses.
“While rules are needed to establish a foundation for our businesses to follow, we must thoroughly examine all policies to ensure we can simplify the process,” said Kail. “Our existing climate has created more burdens than solutions, and we must do everything in our power to change that so we can turn obstacle into opportunity.”
During a hearing to discuss pathways to crafting regulations and reviewing the impact of existing regulations on Tuesday, the policy committee heard from experts on how to improve the regulatory climate by addressing tax rates, occupational licensing, and permitting.
“If you look at the Bureau of Economic Analysis Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Growth Rate Data, the results for income and living standards are significantly lower in Pennsylvania than in most states,” David Burton, senior fellow of Economic Policy at The Heritage Foundation, said. “From 2018 to 2021, Pennsylvania ranked 42nd out of all states in terms of growth rate. In terms of Forbes ranking for best states to do business, Pennsylvania ranks 27th.”
Some business owners testifying at the hearing said that while they aren’t against regulation, continuously adding more has created unintended consequences for businesses.
“Jodi and I wouldn’t be able to open North Country Brewing Company today with the way some of the regulations have occurred because we would be outpriced to do so,” said McCafferty. “That hurts ma’s and pa’s who want to be an entrepreneur today.”
Joe Massaro, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association, said in written testimony that regulations may apply differently to different segments of the same industry.
“Determining ‘regulated sectors’ in various regulatory considerations can seem arbitrary,” Massaro wrote. “For example, in the travel and tourism industry, we’ve seen the hotel community treated differently, typically more rigidly than alternative accommodations and your standard short-term rental. Hotels, bed and breakfasts, and campgrounds adhere to strict regulations that aren’t always applied across the entirety of the lodging industry.”