Haslam Announces Freeze On New State Rules, Regulations

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam today announced a 45-day freeze on any new regulations and rules as part of the top to bottom review of state government.

Haslam also announced the formation of four Cabinet working groups on Safety and Security, Jobs and Education, Efficient and Effective Good Government and Services.

“Our goal is to ensure that state government is customer service focused,” Gov. Haslam said. “A thorough review is one way to assist overburdened businesses wrestling with the economic downturn.”

The governor exempted any rules or regulations from the suspension that would pose an imminent threat to public health or safety or are required in order to conform to a court order.

“In our commitment to transparency, it is critical that we weigh the benefits of a rule or regulation to consumers along with the cost of impacting jobs,” he said.

Gov. Haslam asked each commissioner to take immediate steps to identify those rules and regulations that fall within the time frame. The Office of Consulting Services in the Department of Finance and Administration will coordinate the process.

“To attract and retain high quality jobs, Tennessee must maintain a business-friendly environment,” Gov. Haslam said. “State government should do everything it can to create the best possible environment for job growth.”

The Safety and Security working group consists of the following departments and agencies: Safety, Correction, Military, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The Jobs and Education working group consists of the departments of Economic and Community Development, Agriculture, Commerce and Insurance, Financial Institutions, Labor and Workforce Development, Revenue, Tourism and Education.

The Efficient and Effective Government working group is the departments of Finance and Administration, Environment and Conservation, Transportation, Human Resources, Veterans Affairs and General Services.

The Human Support working group consists of Children’s Services, Health, Human Services, Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Health.