EXECUTIVE ORDER
17-03

WHEREAS, Missouri's state government has proposed and codified an excessive amount of regulations; and

WHEREAS, the Missouri Register, a publication that includes proposed and final regulations, has published more than 40,000 pages since 2000; and

WHEREAS, Missourians and Missouri businesses deserve efficient, effective, and necessary regulations; and

WHEREAS, regulations should not reduce jobs, stifle entrepreneurship, limit innovation, or impose costs far in excess of their benefits; and

WHEREAS, regulations that are ineffective, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome must be repealed; and

WHEREAS, removing needless and burdensome regulations will make Missouri more attractive to businesses and encourage job growth.

NOW THEREFORE, I, ERIC R. GREITENS, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Missouri, do hereby order:

  1. Every State Agency shall immediately suspend all rulemaking.
    1. This suspension shall remain in effect until February 28, 2017.
    2. Any proposed regulation that affects health, safety, or welfare, or is otherwise time sensitive or required by law, should be submitted to the Office of the Governor prior to February 28, 2017.
  2. No State Agency shall release proposed regulations for notice and comment, amend existing regulations, or adopt new regulations at any time until approved by the Office of the Governor.
  3. Every State Agency shall undertake a review of every regulation under its jurisdiction within the Code of State Regulations.
    1. As part of its review, every State Agency shall (i) accept written public comments for at least a 60-day period; (ii) hold at least two public hearings to allow citizens and businesses to identify regulations that are ineffective, unnecessary, or unduly burdensome; (iii) solicit and incorporate comments and advice from private citizens, stakeholders, regulated entities, and other interested parties; and (iv) complete the review by May 31, 2018.
    2. Every State Agency shall designate an individual to oversee the review.
    3. For each existing regulation, and any future proposed regulation, every State Agency shall affirm in a report submitted to the Office of the Governor by May 31, 2018:
      1. The regulation is essential to the health, safety, or welfare of Missouri residents;
      2. The costs of the regulation do not outweigh their benefits, based on a cost benefit analysis;
      3. A process and schedule exist to measure the effectiveness of the regulation;
      4. Less restrictive alternatives have been considered and found less desirable than the regulation;
      5. The regulation is based on sound, reasonably available scientific, technical, economic, and other relevant information; and
      6. The regulation does not unduly and adversely affect Missouri citizens or customers of the State, or the competitive environment in Missouri.
    4. By June 30, 2018, every State Agency shall take any action necessary to repeal or to cease rulemaking for any regulation that does not meet any criteria in Section 3(c) of this Order.
  4. This Order does not modify any State Agency's obligations under Section 536.175, RSMo. Any State Agency that has already completed the review required by Section 536.175, RSMo. may include any applicable results of that review when responding to this Order. Any State Agency that has not already completed the review required by Section 536.175, RSMo. shall do so in the manner and on the schedule required by statute.
  5. "State Agency" shall have the definition provided in Section 536.010(8), RSMo.
  6. This Order shall supersede any previous executive order that is inconsistent with the terms contained herein.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, on this 10th day of January, 2017.

[Eric R. Greitens's signature]
Eric R. Greitens
Governor

ATTEST:

[John R. Ashcroft's signature]
John R. Ashcroft
Secretary of State

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