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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2025 - 2026
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 9, 2024 05:52 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Dawn W. Keefer |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | REINS Act |
| In the near future, I plan to reintroduce legislation that will give the General Assembly a greater role in the regulatory process. With strong bipartisan interest in reducing regulatory burdens, this proposal aims to equip the legislature with additional tools to provide more active oversight. My bill is modeled after the federal REINS Act (Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act), which requires Congress to approve all new major regulations before they can go into effect. Under the federal REINS Act, a "major regulation" is defined as one that imposes $100 million or more in economic costs. Similarly, my legislation would establish an enhanced review process for regulations that impose a substantial cost burden on the Commonwealth. An "economically significant regulation" under this bill is defined as any regulation with an impact of $1 million or more per year on the state, municipalities, or the business community. Under this proposal, the General Assembly would be required to approve any economically significant regulation through a concurrent resolution before it could take effect. This would apply whether the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) has approved the regulation or the agency chooses to implement it without IRRC approval. During the 2021-22 legislative session, this proposal (introduced as HB72) successfully passed the House as part of a broader regulatory reform package. I believe this legislation will help create a freer market, enabling businesses to thrive and serve as engines of job creation, as they once did. I hope you will consider sponsoring this important piece of legislation. |
Memo Updated: December 9, 2024 05:53 PM