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N.H. SHOULD PRIORITIZE DEREGULATION IN 2025

BLOG, FEATURED, REGULATION, Uncategorized


New Hampshire is the freest state in the country and on the continent. But on
some measures of economic freedom, we do poorly. Most Granite Staters would
probably be surprised to learn that New Hampshire is in the top 20 most
regulated states in the nation.

New Hampshire’s recent regulatory growth

Researchers at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University have tracked the
growth of state regulations since 2019. New Hampshire ranks as the 18th most
heavily regulated state. We are more heavily regulated than every other New
England state save Massachusetts, which ranks 9th. 

From 2019-2023, the number of state regulatory restrictions in New Hampshire
grew by 14%, rising from 123,423 to 140,893, according to Mercatus’ tracking. 



Policy areas in which New Hampshire’s regulations exceed national averages
include:

 * broadcasting
 * health services
 * environmental protection, public utilities and natural resources,
 * taxes and public finance

While state policymakers have focused in recent years on aiding economic growth
by lowering business tax rates, the state’s regulatory burden has grown
steadily, likely countering some of the positive tax cut effects.

Cutting regulations can stimulate growth. The Canadian province of British
Columbia did it successfully, starting in 2001 with a reform requiring two
regulations to be cut for every new one added. The regulatory cuts flipped the
state’s economic growth rate from lower than the national average to higher, a
Mercatus Center study has shown. 

Regulatory reform in other states

Several U.S. states offer ideas for how to reduce regulatory burdens:

 * Ohio in 2022 required state agencies to cut regulations by 30% in three
   years. Agencies use an artificial intelligence program called Reg Explorer to
   identify regulations to eliminate, City Journal reports. The state expects to
   trim 5 million words, or 1/3 of its regulatory code, by mid-2025.
 * Idaho Gov. Brad Little in 2019 issued two executive orders to slash state
   regulations. The Red Tape Reduction Act requires state rule-making agencies
   to eliminate two existing rules for every rule they pass. The Licensing
   Freedom Act puts sunsets on occupational licensing rules.
 * Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2022 issued an executive order establishing
   the Office of Regulatory Management to streamline the regulatory process and
   improve transparency.
 * Utah has regulatory sandbox law that allows short-term waivers of state
   regulations. Its Office of Regulatory Relief administers the waivers.
 * Arizona has a Governor’s Regulatory Review Council that reviews state rules
   for statutory compliance and cost burden. If a rule’s benefits don’t outweigh
   its costs, the council can reject it. 

Rejecting the Massachusetts model

Gov-elect Kelly Ayotte has promised to keep New Hampshire from becoming
Massachusetts. In the area of government regulations, New Hampshire has been
creeping in Massachusetts’ direction. Taking swift action to reverse this
regulatory growth would reduce state interference in the private sector and
improve economic freedom without requiring any new state spending. Reducing
state rules might even have the effect of trimming state spending, as fewer
rules could mean fewer bureaucrats.

Download this policy brief here: Policy Brief Regulatory Reductions 2025

December 20, 2024/by Andrew Cline

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2560 Andrew Cline
https://jbartlett.org/wp-content/uploads/logo_white_v1_360x70.png Andrew
Cline2024-12-20 13:23:012024-12-20 13:24:52N.H. should prioritize deregulation
in 2025




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