Washington Governor Ferguson Signs Executive Order Launching Regulatory Reform, Pausing New Rulemaking for Six Months
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson announced on November 5 that he signed an executive order the previous day launching an initiative to streamline state regulations. The order directs state agencies to review existing rules and statutes to identify opportunities to eliminate unnecessary requirements, ease regulatory burdens and modernize administrative requirements, with initial reports due within eight months. It also pauses all new agency rulemaking that would impose new or additional regulatory requirements for six months.
Ferguson signed the order in Redmond at the second meeting of the Governor's Economic Development Council, hosted by Microsoft, whose Vice Chair and President Brad Smith is a member of the Council. Starting Friday, December 4, agencies will not initiate new rulemaking that would impose new regulatory requirements on businesses, individuals or other regulated entities, with limited exceptions such as responding to imminent threats or binding legal requirements. The Governor's Office for Regulatory Innovation and Assistance (ORIA) will lead the initiative in coordination with the Governor's Office and the Office of Financial Management (OFM).
"There are few things that frustrate me more than bureaucracy that gets in the way of serving the people," Ferguson said. "This executive order helps us reduce unnecessary burdens and strengthen Washington's economic competitiveness." The Governor's Office said permitting and licensing times have already improved sharply since Ferguson first took office: the Department of Licensing cut processing time by almost 50 percent across its 340 licenses and permits, from 46 to 25 days; the Department of Labor and Industries cut new contractor registration processing from 12 weeks to 3 weeks, a 75 percent reduction; and the Department of Financial Institutions cut franchise application processing by over 50 percent, from 17 to 8 days.
(Source: Office of the Governor of Washington)
Source: Office of the Governor of Washington
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