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Deputy Sec. Haney talks about Red-Tape Reduction at Northern Kentucky Chamber Government Forum


Nathan Haney, Deputy Secretary of the Executive Cabinet for Gov. Matt Bevin was in Northern Kentucky Wednesday to talk about the governor’s Red-Tape Reduction Initiative.

The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce presented the Government Forum Luncheon at the Radisson Hotel in Covington to provide more information about the effort to reduce unnecessary regulation.

Nathan Haney, Deputy Secretary of the Executive Cabinet for Gov. Matt Bevin, provides details of the Red-Tape Reduction Initiative to NKY Chamber members at the Radisson in Covington Wednesday (photos by Mark Hansel).

Nathan Haney, Deputy Secretary of the Executive Cabinet for Gov. Matt Bevin, provides details of the Red-Tape Reduction Initiative to NKY Chamber members at the Radisson in Covington Wednesday (photos by Mark Hansel).

Haney, the primary architect in the development of the initiative, said the goal is to address burdensome state regulations that create obstacles for Kentucky businesses and citizens.

The purpose of Haney’s visits around the state is to raise awareness, but also to seek feedback on regulations that may need to be reviewed.

Gov. Bevin announced the Red-Tape Initiative in July and since that time hundreds of businesses from around the state have responded with suggestions of regulations that should be reviewed.

There are more than 4,500 administrative regulations in Kentucky and sorting through them to identify redundancies or determine which may be obsolete is a daunting task.

Haney summed up the challenges facing the effort with this sentence.

“In order to repeal a (regulation), you have to write a reg that repeals the reg,” Haney said.

Gov. Bevin created the Red Tape Reduction Initiative in an effort to review every regulation currently on the books. The goal is to eliminate those regulations deemed unnecessary or duplicative, simplify those considered too complex, and judge each for intent and effectiveness.

Every cabinet is responsible for reviewing each of its administrative regulations. When it finds one that it determines to be in need of repeal or amendment, it files a request with the Legislative Research Commission.

Over a period of three months, up to two different committees review the request, which includes an opportunity for public comment, to determine whether the regulation in question should be repealed or amended.

The committees can accept, reject or recommend changes to the request.

An estimated 85 percent of regulations on the books have never been reviewed to determine if they are still relevant. They stay on the books until action is taken, and regulators are required to enforce them.

While some regulations uncovered during the Red-Tape Reduction review are almost comical, others can have a significant negative economic impact.

This slide that outlines the requirement of a permit to transport alcohol in a wagon drew chuckled from the crowd, but emphasized the need for regulation reform.

This slide that outlines the requirement of a license to transport alcohol in a wagon drew chuckles from the crowd, but helped emphasizes the need for regulation reform.

A regulation on the transporting of alcohol (804 KAR 8:040) requires a license to haul spirits in a truck wagon or vehicle. Haney said he may well have violated this regulation himself at some time and a slide showing a little red wagon drew laughs from the crowd.

The so-called No Bleed Rule, however, requires event contestants to cease participation if they accidentally bleed during an event such as a boxing or wrestling match.

The loss in potential income as a result of this regulation is no laughing matter.

The regulation has limited the state’s ability to compete for and conduct Golden Gloves boxing, WWE wrestling and UFC events.

Haney also pointed to regulations governing the trucking industry and regarding police training as among those that are prohibitive to business or safety and are subject to review.

He said it’s not enough just to identify unnecessary regulations.

“You need to state a goal and hold people accountable,” Haney said.

Eliminating regulations that are not necessary, or in some cases, have a negative economic impact will make it easier for businesses to come into compliance with those that serve a useful purpose.

The bottom line intent of the Red Tape Reduction Initiative as identified on its dedicated website is threefold:

  • To help spur job creation and investment
  • To change the attitude of government from regulation makers to regulation managers
  • To get government off the backs of Kentuckians

To date, 543 state regulations have been reviewed and 30 have been repealed. Another 129 are targeted for repeal.

So far, 52 state regulations have been amended and 271 have been targeted for amendment.

For more information on the Red Tape Reduction Initiative, click here .

Suggestions on regulations that should be reviewed can be submitted on the Red Tape Reduction website’s Report A Reg page.


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