A July 15 , 2015, Frederick News-Post editorial expressed its support for the Regulatory Reform Commission that was recently created by Governor Larry Hogan. As previously reported on Conduit Street, Hogan created the Commission to review every single state regulation and where appropriate make recommendations to repeal or improve them. Despite noting concerns from the environmental, labor and nonprofit communities about the composition of the Commission’s membership, the New-Post editorial was supportive of the Commission’s goal of making Maryland more business-friendly:
If this committee operates openly and fairly, we support its mission. It can’t do any harm to revisit these regulations and take a fresh look at them. Things change, and regulations shouldn’t be left on the books without periodic reviews of their necessity, appropriateness and impact. …
Environmental, labor and nonprofit interests are not represented at all on the commission, which has generated some concern among those groups. Hogan, however, is being upfront about the commission’s charter. …
[Hogan said] that the commission would be looking at rules involving a wide range of areas, including, [a Washington] Post story said, “the environment, transportation, health, labor standards, occupational licensing, banking and finance, land use and insurance.” The goal is to address excessive regulation, high taxes and anti-business sentiment, which the governor called the three “deadly self-inflicted wounds” that are stymieing business success in Maryland.
Anxiety among those interest groups that have no seat at the table is understandable, but if the commission’s work is open and accessible to them and the general public, everyone’s voice can be heard.