Today, Gov. John Kasich vetoed Senate Bill 221, a bill that would bring about much-needed reforms to the rulemaking process in the state of Ohio and tackle the issue of overregulation and too much bureaucratic red tape. We are highly disappointed in this news as this bill serves as a top priority of the Ohio Chamber in the 132^nd General Assembly.

We believe that SB 221 builds upon work that the governor himself initiated to improve the regulatory environment in Ohio, such as the creation of the Common Sense Initiative Office and the Business Impact Analysis. Specifically, the bill includes the following, pro-business provisions:

• Adds to the definition of what an adverse impact on business can be by stating that the impact of the rule would directly reduce revenue or increase expenses
• Requires that the source document of a new rule can be readily found and inspected without charge
• Ensures that if the new rule imposes a fee, there must be a justification as to how the fee relates to the cost incurred by the agency
• Allows for the opportunity to request a review of a rule in an expedited manner as opposed to the normal review process
• Instructs state agencies to release internal policies, directives, or instructions to ensure they are not circumventing the rulemaking process

The Ohio Chamber and our Ohio Small Business Council were deeply involved in helping draft this important piece of legislation and worked hard – and successfully – to build bipartisan support for SB 221. The bill ultimately passed, with overwhelming bipartisan support, out of the Ohio Senate 30-3 and the Ohio House by a vote of 73-20.

This is a common sense, pro-business piece of legislation that helps improve the regulatory climate in our state. As the Session schedule winds down, we are hopeful to continue to advocate for legislation that eases the regulatory burden on Ohio businesses.