State Senate advances four regulatory reform bills to bolster employment rate

The Pennsylvania Senate recently advanced four bills addressing job regulations to boost the state’s employment rate while emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate Bill 28 would require agencies issuing permits to allow applicants to check the status of their applications using an accessible tracking system.

Senate Bill 126 would create a mandatory automatic review after three years of all regulations with an economic impact or cost exceeding $1 million.

Senate Bill 426 provides additional legislative oversight of the regulatory review process.

Senate Bill 520 requires any state regulation with an economic impact or cost to the state government, local governments, or the private sector exceeding $1 million cannot be imposed without approval of the General Assembly.

“Our current regulatory process stifles the economy and vests too much power in unelected government employees and agencies that lack direct accountability to the people,” said state Sen. John DiSanto (Dauphin/Perry), who introduced Senate Bill 520. “This is a blueprint for regulatory growth and amounts to laws being crafted without the consent of the governed.”

The bills move to the state House of Representatives for consideration.