ensuring texas remains the best state to live, work, and do business
REGULATORY REFORM IS
GOOD FOR ALL TEXANS.
Texas is rightly known as a champion of free enterprise. In fact, we have the 8th-largest economy in the world. And yet, Texas ranks as the 5th-most-regulated state in the country and as the most regulated for occupational licensing. Elected officials and businesses across our state have made Texas an economic powerhouse and global force in entrepreneurship. Now, let's modernize our regulatory system to support continued economic growth.
The Coalition for Regulatory Efficiency and Reform (CRER) is working to create a best-in-the-nation model for Texas where all rules are reviewed on a regular basis through an objective, transparent, and efficient process.
THE CHALLENGE
For many years, our state regulatory system has steadily expanded and layered rules across all sectors.
Thoughtfully designed and applied regulations can help protect consumers, workers, businesses, and the environment. But inefficient, antiquated, or conflicting rules create serious barriers to job creation and economic development.
Texas’ existing regulatory framework lacks a consistent and transparent system of review for all rules. Moreover, it does not include a sound mechanism outside of the state agency to ensure rules are adopted in the most effective, least costly, and least restrictive ways.
THE PATH FORWARD
To fuel sustained economic growth, Texas needs a modernized and efficient regulatory framework—where rules are continually updated, readopted, and repealed as needed.
CRER does not seek to reduce the regulatory burden according to any predetermined metric. Instead, we want to establish a system that will—by design—help ensure state regulations are perpetually effective, efficient, up to date, and necessary.
A MODERN STATE REGULATORY SYSTEM WILL:
PROPOSED REFORMS WOULD:
CREATE A NEW REGULATORY EFFICIENCY DIVISION WITHIN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE TO HELP AGENCIES IMPROVE REGULATIONS
CODIFY THE STANDARD For JUDICIAL REVIEW OF AGENCY INTERPRETATIONS
CREATE A USER-FRIENDLY ONLINE PORTAL FOR NEW AND EXISTING BUSINESS OWNERS
ALLOW A RULE TO BE INVALIDATED IF AN AGENCY FAILS TO PROPERLY PERFORM REQUIRED COST AND IMPACT ANALYSES
HELP INCREASE OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING RECIPROCITY AGREEMENTS WITH OTHER STATES
Add a limited review for regulatory agencies halfway through each 12-year sunset cycle
ADD ThiRD-PARTY EFFICIENCY AUDITS AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES for regulatory agencies
increase transparency in the rule review process
TEXAS CAN LEAD THE WAY.
With regulatory modernization, Texas can serve as a national model for analyzing how our regulatory policies affect economic growth and implementing a better and more transparent process.
Reform will give all Texans more confidence that our state regulations are effective, necessary, and cost-efficient. The improved system will also cement Texas’ status as the most business-friendly state in the Union, so we can keep attracting the industries—like manufacturing and technology—that power our economy and will help us stay competitive for the long term.
IF WE DON'T ACT NOW, THE REGULATORY BURDEN ON TEXANS WILL GROW HEAVIER.
This would carry steep costs for businesses and consumers and stifle our state economy, without commensurate benefit to safety or efficiency.
That’s why a diverse group of industry, policy, and community organizations joined to form CRER. For more on the coalition and our work to pass meaningful state regulatory reform in the 2025 legislative session, click here.
