Idaho Gov. Little signs executive orders targeting agency regulations
Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Thursday signed his first two executive orders of 2020, “both aimed at keeping Idaho regulations streamlined, user-friendly and easy to understand,” according to a press release.
The release said the two orders continue Little’s regulatory reduction goals that he started in 2019.
The first executive order, Zero-Based Regulation, repeals the Red Tape Reduction Act and replaces it with a measure stating that every regulation that agencies want to keep has to be justified, changing the burden of proof and combating bureaucratic inertia, according to the release.
“It is the nature of government to grow and for increased regulations to creep into our lives,” Little said in the release. “My Zero-Based Regulation executive order is designed to prevent the accumulation of costly, ineffective and outdated regulations over time.”
The second executive order, Transparency in Agency Guidance Documents, helps the public weigh in on agency regulations. State agencies often rely on final orders as precedent or issue agency guidance documents to clarify existing statutes or regulations, according to the release. Little’s order requires agencies to provide a point of contact for the public to ask questions.
It also requires agencies to post guidance documents on their websites.
“Both executive orders I signed today further simplify regulations for the average citizen and small business,” Little claimed in the release.
This story was originally published January 16, 2020 at 3:13 PM.
