In Gov. Little’s first year as Idaho Governor, we surpassed South Dakota and achieved the title of least regulated state in the country.
Since Gov. Little took office in 2019, Idaho has cut or simplified 95-percent of regulations, transforming our administrative code. We’ve taken other steps since then to ensure Idaho regulations remain streamlined, user-friendly, and easy to understand. Gov. Little’s Zero-Based Regulation initiative will continue to eliminate red tape moving forward while maintaining safety.
Cutting red tape has been a key achievement and unrelenting focus of Gov. Little’s. In fact, Gov. Little’s regulatory reform efforts have been so successful that the Legislature saw fit to make the Governor’s Zero-Based Regulation efforts permanent in 2023 by requiring agencies to undergo review of their rule chapters every eight years.
Here’s how we did it:
- Within his first few weeks in office, Gov. Little issued two executive orders aimed at scaling back regulations – the Red Tape Reduction Act and Licensing Freedom Act of 2019.
- Gov. Little’s Zero-Based Regulation executive order in 2020 forces a routine review of rule chapters annually.
- Gov. Little directed state agencies to find efficiencies in the rules they administer as part of the “rules reauthorization process,” under which Idaho’s administrative code expires if it is not reauthorized.
- Gov. Little signed an executive order in 2020 shrinking the size of state government by consolidating 11 separate agencies in the new Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses, a move that has led to efficiencies and resulted in better service at a lower cost for Idahoans.
- Executive Order 2020-13: Regulatory Relief to Support Economic Recovery
- Executive Order 2020-10: Enhancing Licensing Freedom: Organization of the Department of Self-Governing Agencies
- Executive Order 2020-01: Zero-Based Regulation
- Executive Order 2020-02: Transparency in Agency Guidance Documents
- Executive Order 2019-01: Licensing Freedom Act of 2019
- Executive Order 2019-02: Red Tape Reduction Act
- 08/09/2024: Gov. Little cuts more red tape, celebrates historic milestone in regulation reform
- 04/05/2022: Washington, D.C., looks to Idaho on how to cut red tape
- 11/10/2021: Idaho increases its lead as least regulated state
- 08/31/2020: Gov. Little appoints Russ Barron to lead Idaho Division of Occupational and Professional Licenses
- 07/16/2020: Gov. Little meets with President Trump, White House officials on regulatory innovation, COVID-19
- 06/22/2020: Gov. Little cuts more red tape, preserves recent healthcare advances moving forward
- 01/16/2020: Governor Little signs two executive orders further cutting government red tape
- 12/16/2019: President Trump, Vice President Pence meet with Governor Little on regulatory reform
- 12/4/2019: Idaho cuts and simplifies 75 percent of rules in one year, becomes least-regulated state in country
- 10/9/2019: Governor Little proposes elimination of 10 regulatory programs in occupational licensing
- 7/25/2019: Governor Little takes additional steps to simplify, improve rulemaking processes
- 7/19/2019: Idaho pursues further cuts to state regulations
- 6/19/2019: OPINION: How Idaho ushered in the largest regulatory cuts in state history
- 6/19/2019: Idaho administrative rules republished
- 5/21/2019: Governor Little proposes to cut and simplify one-third of all rule chapters, invites public comment
- 4/23/2019: Governor Little outlines process to keep administrative rules in effect
- 2/25/2019: Progress advances on Governor Little’s rule consolidation executive order
- 1/31/2019: Governor Little signs two new executive orders reducing regulatory burdens on Idahoans