Repealed law required legislative authorization for unnecessary restrictions

House Republican Leader Matt Hall on Thursday criticized Democrats for repealing a law that has protected Michiganders and businesses from overly strict regulations that aren’t necessary to protect health or safety.

The law prohibited state bureaucrats from adopting administrative rules that are more stringent than federal requirements, unless there is a clear and convincing need for the stricter regulation or the people’s representatives clearly authorize the regulation in law. Hall said the repeal, signed into law Thursday by the governor, advances an agenda that will hurt businesses and residents of Michigan.

“As families and job providers flee Michigan, piling confusing and useless regulatory burdens on small businesses and citizens will make it even harder for our state to compete,” said Hall, R-Richland Township. “We should be focused on helping people thrive while protecting the health and safety of Michiganders, but left-wing environmentalists want to cripple businesses with over-the-top regulations that are completely unnecessary and burdensome. Democrats have caved to one leftist political group after another, and now they’re letting unelected bureaucrats tank our state’s economy on the whim of environmental activists. Pandering to fringe organizations will exacerbate Michigan’s population decline and scare businesses away.”

Democrats in the Legislature previously passed Senate Bill 14 in a party-line vote.