(The Center Square) – New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is vowing to cut “red tape” in state government with a new plan she says will reduce bureaucracy and save taxpayers’ money.
Hochul signed an executive order on Wednesday mandating a “regulatory reset” and directing state agencies to review outdated regulations, fees, and fines to determine whether they can be eliminated.
The regulatory review, billed as the largest such undertaking in state government history, would also consider dissolving “outdated” state boards and commissions that “no longer function in the public interest.”
Hochul said the initiative is aimed at eliminating unnecessary rules and regulations that “waste New Yorkers’ time and make sure that taxpayer dollars are being put to good use.”
“New Yorkers rely on state government in ways big and small every day, but for too long, needless red tape has slowed down the core functions of government and made it harder for our state to deliver for its residents,” she said. “While some in Washington have tried to gut the very functions of government, we are choosing a different path, one that will strengthen the vital work of government and reaffirm its role for good in our state.”
The Hochul administration said it has begun work on the program with nonprofit groups and academic researchers and has already identified “thousands” of opportunities to streamline regulations using Stanford University’s artificial intelligence tool, RegLab, to come up with ideas.
“Too often, governments just pile new rules on top of old ones, costing time and money for citizens, businesses, and public employees,” Robert Gordon, executive vice president of Recoding America Fund, one of several companies that worked with the state on AI-fueled regulatory review, said in a statement.
“New York asks a simple, necessary question: What can we take away?,” Gordon said. “We’re eager to see how New York’s work progresses – and how other states follow its lead.”
The regulatory review is the latest stemming from Hochu’s Expediting Processes and Regulations to Enable Streamlined Services, or EXPRESS NY, initiative that calls for regulatory reforms in 22 state agencies.
Hochul, a Democrat who’s seeking reelection in fall, has been doubting her efforts to reduce government waste and improve accountability amid a challenge from Nassau County Republican Executive Bruce Blakeman, who has hammered away at the incumbent governor over New York’s high cost of living.
Besides the AI review, the Hochul administration said it also solicited feedback from humans, with a comment period in February asking the public to suggest outdated regulations, rules, or permits that can be scrapped to improve the state’s affordability.
State officials said the surveys resulted in a”ground swell of public interest” with nearly 4,000 proposals from across the state. The feedback was incorporated into the regulatory reset program.
