Halting Regulatory Reform
Last Friday, the Governor vetoed a series of bills known as the “Red Tape Reset” that would have reformed regulatory approval by adapting the rulemaking process and returning appropriate authority to the legislature. A recent Wisconsin Supreme Court decision removed legislative oversight of rulemaking authority, eliminating a long-standing practice that ensured appropriate supervision from a democratized branch of government over impactful regulations. This decision undermined the procedural safeguards that ever justified such agency authority.
Empowering the executive bureaucracy over accountable officials removed protections for the many affected by government regulations while granting excessive power to the governor and state agencies. Wisconsin is already the 13th most regulated state in the country, and this new concentration of authority is detrimental to our economic well-being and damaging to governance.
Notable provisions of the package included:
- Establishing a 7-year sunset review process for old and outdated rules and regulations.
- Removing the financial penalty for citizens to challenge agency overreach, allowing individuals who successfully challenge unlawful rules in court to recover legal fees.
- Limiting an agency’s rulemaking authority to one rule per scope statement to create more transparency around the rulemaking process and close a loophole allowing regulatory overreach.
- Creating a “one rule in, one rule out” policy to ensure net-zero cost growth in our regulatory code.
These proposals would permit necessary regulations to become law only through a collaborative process, ensuring proper authority and governance regardless of partisan makeup. With these invalidating vetoes, Wisconsin will maintain our over 165,000 regulations. The Governor’s vetoes are a rejection of proposals that would have reduced costs for families and businesses, encouraged investment and growth, and restored more reasonable governance.
Rejecting Healthcare Modernization
The Governor also vetoed SB 214, which permitted and established a framework for out-of-state telehealth services. Providers under this proposal were required to hold an active, unencumbered license in another state and meet stringent criteria in Wisconsin to practice virtually. This method of care was especially relevant for mental health services, for which the need in our state remains unmet.
The modernization of our healthcare regulations can protect patients while expanding consumer choice and access to critical services in otherwise underserved regions. Unfortunately, the Governor disagreed. While maintaining quality services is a shared and worthy goal, I reject the idea that permitting individuals to choose virtual care from licensed out-of-state professionals would be detrimental to the quality of care for those who otherwise lack access to it.
Early Voting Begins
Early voting for Wisconsin’s April 7th election began this week on Tuesday, March 24th. There is one statewide office on the ballot: Justice of the State Supreme Court, along with other local races in your community.
You can still register to vote in person at your Municipal Clerk’s Office until 5:00 pm on April 3rd, or at your polling location on Election Day. Find your clerk and polling location here: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/.
Follow Along on Facebook
Want to hear more about what’s going on in Madison and the district? Follow my Facebook page for weekly updates and to learn more about bills, events, and efforts I’m involved in. Find my Facebook page here: facebook.com/RepSteffen/.
Contact Me
My office is always available to help with any state-related questions or concerns you may have. You can reach my office at (608) 237-9104, or email me at Rep.Steffen@legis.wisconsin.
