The Pennsylvania House of Representatives advanced Tuesday House Bill 1055, which would provide for the systematic review of Pennsylvania’s existing regulations.
“There is no time like the present to reshape and modernize government, and my legislation will allow for the review of the more than 153,000 regulatory restrictions on the books in Pennsylvania,” Rep. Kate Klunk (R-Hanover), who introduced the bill, said. “We have over a century of regulations cluttering our books. We desperately need an office to step in to help us identify the regulations that are no longer working for Pennsylvanians.”
The legislation would create the Independent Office of the Repealer, which would systematically review existing regulations to ensure they are still relevant. The public, educators, businesses, government entities, nonprofits, and others would have a chance to submit recommendations during the review process. The bill specifies that the office would cease operations in June 2025.
The bill also requires that for every new regulation enacted, two must be removed from the books.
“This standard has worked at the federal level helping to save billions of dollars,” Klunk said. “Imagine the potential positive impact to Pennsylvanians if a similar effort were implemented here in the Commonwealth. This bill, coupled with the other regulatory reform bills passed by the House earlier this year, will promote government efficiency and will help to propel Pennsylvania’s already thriving economy forward.”