York County News

Pennsylvania House Republicans announced today that the Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC) adopted recommendations from six House committees to repeal outdated and unneeded regulations. This action follows a coordinated effort by House Republicans in September 2022 to request that IRRC review numerous regulations under Section 8.1 of the Regulatory Review Act.

“In some cases, our research uncovered regulations that existed in the books before IRRC was created in 1982 and had never been reviewed,” said House Republican Appropriations Chairman Seth Grove (R – York). “The formal requests made by the House Aging and Older Adult Services, Children and Youth, Health, Labor and Industry, Judiciary, and State Government Committees to IRRC covered ten government agencies with questionable regulations. This is just another example of how some government officials talk about ‘getting stuff done,’ but House Republicans get things done.”

Grove, then House State Government chairman, and State Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R – Center/Mifflin), then House Republican leader, worked together in the 2021-22 session to increase attention on the regulatory process following unscrupulous regulations promulgated by Gov. Wolf during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The actions by IRRC today are a huge step forward for Pennsylvania but a reminder we still have more work to do,” said Benninghoff, who currently serves as Republican chairman of the House Transportation Committee. “Today’s report proves that other agencies must still have outdated regulations on the books. We should formally ask IRRC to review agencies not covered in this report immediately.”

“Utilizing existing legislative authority under Section 8.1 of the Regulatory Review Act, House Republican committee chairs showed what leadership looks like,” Grove added. “Rather than creating more government to improve Pennsylvania’s regulatory environment, we reduced unneeded red tape with the tools we already have.”

According to IRRC, the six committee letters involved reviewing 40 prior rulemakings, 103 chapters of regulations, and two subchapters within ten agencies.

At its September 2024 meeting, all five IRRC commissioners voted affirmatively for recommendations broken down by five agencies: The Departments of Aging, Corrections, Health, Labor and Industry, and State were included. The unanimous votes demonstrate strong consensus on regulatory reform's necessity.

“One of the regulations voted on by IRRC today involved a particularly egregious regulation at the Department of Labor and Industry regarding ‘Blasting, Demolition, Fireworks and Explosives,’” Grove said. “Not only does the department no longer regulate this activity but also had not amended since 1969 based on a statute amended in 1971. IRRC said keeping this regulation could ‘cause confusion and impose unnecessary costs.’ This is a clear example of potential harm caused by outdated regulations.”

Benninghoff added: “The Department of Health was a prime example of an agency which has lost control of its regulations. IRRC found some governing hospitals had not been updated since the 1980s. The Department is responsible for ensuring safe hospitals; how can we be sure they are fulfilling this mission when they aren’t even keeping up with their regulations?”

The success of this review would not have been possible without contributions from former committee chairs including Gary Day – House Aging and Older Adult Services; Sheryl Delozier – House Children and Youth; Jim Cox – House Labor and Industry; Kathy Rapp – House Health; Rob Kauffman – House Judiciary; Steven Mentzer – House Aging and Older Adult Services; Barry Jozwiak – House Children and Youth; Ryan Mackenzie – House Labor and Industry; Brad Roae – House State Government.

“I look forward to working with my fellow chairs to expand using Section 8.1 in future,” Benninghoff concluded.

“This is just beginning our efforts streamline modernize Pennsylvania's regulatory environment," Grove added.

Representative Seth Grove

196th District

Pennsylvania House Representatives

Media Contact: Charlie O’Neill

717-260-6121

coneill@pahousegop.com