Madison – Today a group of Republican lawmakers, including members of the State Assembly and State Senate, introduced Wisconsin’s Red Tape Reset — a package of bills to cut red tape, strengthen oversight of agency regulations and ensure a more accountable regulatory environment. Currently, Wisconsin is the 13th most regulated state in the country, and the 2nd most regulated in the Midwest, with more than 160,000 regulatory restrictions in the administrative code.
LRB-0565: Regulatory Sunsetting by Representative Neylon & Senator Nass
This legislation creates a seven-year sunset for each chapter of the Wisconsin Administrative Code, unless it is reviewed and readopted by the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR). JCRAR will be empowered to set a review schedule and take public input during the process, ensuring that no regulation lives on indefinitely without scrutiny. Creating more opportunities for legislative oversight and public engagement is a powerful way to fight overregulation and modernize Wisconsin’s regulatory environment.
Statement from Rep. Neylon:
Wisconsin is in need of a regulatory reset. Instead of trying to find compromise with the legislature, Governor Evers wants to govern through administrative rule, regulating as much as he can as fast as he can.
That is why I am authoring a regulatory sunset bill, ensuring all regulatory code must periodically justify its existence. By requiring regular review and offering opportunities for public input, this reform creates a more modern, responsive, and balanced regulatory framework.
LRB-0566: Regulatory Budgeting by Representative Gustafson & Senator Bradley
This legislation creates a net-zero regulatory budgeting framework for new administrative code regulations. Under this system, any new regulation with an economic impact must be offset by the repeal or revision of existing regulations of equal or greater impact. This ensures that Wisconsin’s regulatory burden cannot grow unchecked and incentivizes agencies to prioritize clarity and efficiency when proposing new rules.
Statement from Sen. Bradley
“We want to grow the size of Wisconsin’s economy – not its rulebook. This bill aims to reduce red tape, increase efficiency, and create a better environment for innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Statement from Rep. Gustafson:
New regulations? Show the price tag. WI needs net-zero budgeting—no more blank checks for big government.”
LRB-0567: One Rule Per Scope Statement by Representative Knodl and Senator Hutton
This bill closes a loophole that allowed agencies to use a single scope statement to create multiple regulations over time. It ensures that every emergency or permanent rule must have its own unique scope statement, improving transparency, enhancing public notice, and limiting regulatory overreach.
Statement from Rep. Knodl:
“While reform-minded states like Idaho and Ohio are slashing red tape, Wisconsin’s regulatory code has continued to grow. This bill is about good governance. It strengthens oversight and ensures our administrative process reflects the voice of the people—not just unelected regulators.”
Statement from Sen. Hutton:
“We’re restoring integrity to the rulemaking process. One rule per scope statement is a simple, common-sense reform that ensures transparency, encourages public participation, and prevents bureaucrats from stretching vague language into sweeping regulation.”
LRB-0568: Challenging the Validity of Administrative Rules by Representative Tusler and Senator Wimberger
This bill strengthens accountability by requiring courts to award attorney fees and costs to plaintiffs who successfully challenge unlawful administrative rules. By reducing the financial burden of litigation, the bill empowers more individuals and businesses to hold agencies accountable.
Statement from Sen. Wimberger:
“While the Court eliminated the Chevron Doctrine that gave bureaucratic acts a presumption of constitutionality, victims of unconstitutional regulatory domination still oftentimes face an insurmountable battle for their rights due to process costs. Bureaucracies know that litigating motions, trials, and appeals are expensive, and a defendant may just comply or settle as an economic decision even though they are right in the law. LRB 0568 will make Wisconsinites more confident in the law, since demanding rights won’t bankrupt them and bureaucracies will face a penalty if they refuse to respect Constitutional Rights.”
Statement from Rep. Tusler:
“Unelected bureaucrats shouldn’t be writing the rules that govern our lives. It’s time to rein them in, restore accountability, cut the red tape, and give Wisconsin’s workers and small businesses the power to fight back against unconstitutional overreach.”
