The Virginia General Assembly created a regulatory reduction pilot program in 2018 that aims to cut regulations in two state agencies by 25% before July 1, 2021. Both agencies cut regulations faster than planned, according to a progress report published in October 2019.
Under the program, the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR) and the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) must reduce regulatory requirements and compliance costs by 25% by the 2021 deadline. Both agencies were ahead of the first year goal of eliminating 7.5% of their regulations. The DPOR and DCJS had cut regulations by 9.78% and 10.14%, respectively, as of October 1, 2019.
If the pilot agencies meet the 2021 deadline, the Virginia Secretary of Finance must write a report on the feasibility of adopting a 2-for-1 regulatory budget in the state. Under that budget, state agencies would have to streamline or repeal two existing regulations for every new one they create. President Donald Trump (R) issued a similar executive order at the federal level in January 2017. Executive Order 13771 included a requirement that agencies eliminate two old regulations for each new regulation issued.
Virginia Delegate Michael Webert (R) and Virginia Senator Amanda Chase (R) sponsored the legislation creating the program and Governor Ralph Northam (D) approved it on March 23, 2018.
To learn more about the Virginia General Assembly or other state approaches to address the administrative state, see here:
Noteworthy state approaches to address the administrative state
Additional reading:
Presidential Executive Order 13771 (Donald Trump, 2017)
Virginia Administrative Procedure Act
Click here to read the text of the law establishing the pilot program.
Click here to read the text of the 2019 progress report.
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