Gregoire: Quit making some of those rules

OLYMPIA– Washington state agencies will stop making so many rules that affect the daily lives of its citizens and businesses under an executive order issued Wednesday by Gov. Chris Gregoire.
The order exempts some rules still in the making, such as those necessary for public health and safety or other critical functions, or those required by state or federal law. Rules that don’t qualify for an exemption are to be set aside until the end of 2011, with staff time that would have been spent drafting or updating rules redirected to helping businesses comply or enforcement.
“In these unprecedented economic times, this action will provide businesses with stability and predictability they need to help our state’s recovery,” Gregoire said in announcing the moratorium.
Although state agencies were having some difficulty Wednesday identifying which rules would be put on hold, conservatives applauded the measure while some progressive groups were critical.