Taylor legislation to reduce state government ‘footprint’ and help create private-sector jobs
Rep. David Taylor says the number one reason voters send him to Olympia is to reduce the size and scope of government and enact policies that will help create private-sector jobs.
As a rancher and small business owner, the Moxee Republican legislator can attest to the difficult maze of rules and regulations that employers and prospective entrepreneurs have to negotiate in order to be successful.
“To me, it's about jobs, jobs and jobs,” said Taylor. “And then it's about jobs some more. Look, in my district, we don't have a Boeing or a Microsoft that provides six-figure incomes to hundreds or thousands of people. We have farmers, ranchers, orchardists, small business owners and entrepreneurs. To these folks – and most of the residents in my district – eliminating some red tape here or there or providing some way to level the playing field or provide some economic or regulatory certainty can make a significant difference in expanding local employment opportunities.”
In Olympia, Taylor has become known as someone who is passionate about eliminating bureaucracy and reducing the regulatory burden on individuals and employers. He says he considers himself to be the “taxpayers' lobbyist,” and tries to counter the massive number of state-paid agency personnel, special interest groups, associations and unions that lobby the legislature on a continual basis.
“I've sat in a hundred committee meetings and continually hear from the same group of people that say their program or agency is the one holding the rest together and that they absolutely have to have more tax dollars,” said Taylor. “It's my job to compare each and every request with how folks back home are doing and what they're saying. And right now, with so many families and individuals looking for work, state government should be spending less time finding new and creative ways to get into the wallets of hardworking taxpayers and spending more time finding new and creative ways to get Washington working again.”
Within the first week of session, Taylor introduced House Bill 1163, known as the Regulatory Freedom and Accountability Act, which covers several areas of government bureaucracy, rulemaking and regulatory enforcement. Some of the highlights include:
- Prevents state agencies from creating more rules until the economy improves;
- Requires the governor to sign significant regulations and rules created by state agencies and that they sit through at least one legislative session for legislative review;
- Any regulation or rule that imposes more than $1,000 on an individual or $5,000 on an employer can only be implemented if it is enacted into law by the legislature;
- Prohibits state agencies from retroactively issuing penalties in situations where the department signed off on paperwork;
- Would require every new bill, act, ordinance, resolution or rule to provide specific language showing constitutional authority for the action;
- Requires state agencies to issue permits within 90 days – if they don't, the permit is assumed to be granted;
- Allows employers at least five days to correct any violation of state law or agency rule before the agency may impose fines, penalties or administrative actions;
- Requires government agencies to do a private property takings impact analysis and economic impact analysis before adopting policies or rules impacting Washington citizens.
Taylor said his bill is the direct result of comments he's received over the years while meeting with constituents, as well as e-mails, phone calls and letters to his office in Olympia.
“Each component of the Regulatory Freedom and Accountability Act has a name or a face behind it,” said Taylor. “These are things constituents have asked me to consider – things they've said could make a difference in whether or not they hire another employee or expand operations locally. I remain optimistic that with a new governor and with a new bipartisan coalition controlling the Senate, we may actually be able to pass a bill here or there in the legislature that will actually help improve our state's jobs and economy situation.”
Taylor said residents in his 15th Legislative District can keep up-to-date on his efforts to reduce the state government's footprint and help get Washington working again by visiting his web site at https://houserepublicans.wa.gov/david-taylor/ and signing up for his free e-newsletter. He said he plans on sending e-mail updates throughout the legislative session.
