Tri-City Sun

State Rep. Matthew Bierlein has introduced legislation as part of a bipartisan effort to reduce regulations in Michigan. The reforms are intended to lower costs for residents and workers by addressing what lawmakers describe as unnecessary bureaucracy.

The new measures follow the Red Tape Reduction Initiative, announced earlier this year by House Republicans. As part of this initiative, the House Rules Committee examined the state’s occupational licensing and permitting processes. This week, more than 50 bills were introduced as an initial step toward easing regulatory requirements and reducing expenses for Michiganders.

“Bureaucracy and regulation have grown to ridiculous levels and this impacts hundreds of thousands of hardworking people across Michigan,” Bierlein said. “Ultimately, this hurts our state. Instead of jumping through hoops with fees for licenses or permits, workers will just look for other opportunities elsewhere. Instead of absorbing costs for home building that gets passed down to consumers, families will look to other states where housing is more within their budgets. Getting government out of the way will go a long way to making our state more affordable and attractive.”

Bierlein’s bill specifically targets jurisprudence examinations required for optometrists, podiatrists, physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, and occupational therapists. He pointed out that the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs has also called these exams redundant and stated they do not serve a public safety function.

The bill is expected to be formally read into the legislative record soon.