This bill makes it much harder for federal agencies to create new rules by requiring them to eliminate old rules first. Here's how it works: before an agency can issue any new rule that costs money or creates responsibilities for businesses, nonprofits, or state and local governments, it must first get rid of at least ten related existing rules. For major rules—the big ones that affect the economy by $100 million or more annually or significantly impact prices, jobs, or competition—the requirement is even stricter: the agency must repeal at least ten rules AND make sure the new rule doesn't cost more than the rules being eliminated.

The bill essentially creates a "one in, ten out" system for federal regulation. Agencies would need to do a lot of housekeeping, identifying and removing old rules before they can add new ones. There are a few exceptions: the rule doesn't apply to internal agency policies, government purchasing rules, or rules being changed to reduce burden on businesses. Additionally, every federal agency would have to report to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget reviewing all their existing rules to identify which ones are expensive, don't work well, duplicate other rules, or are outdated.

The practical effect is that this bill would likely slow down the creation of new regulations significantly. Supporters argue it prevents regulatory bloat and forces agencies to clean house. Critics worry it could prevent agencies from responding to new problems or protecting public health and safety if they can't quickly issue new rules without first jumping through the hoops of eliminating ten old ones.

Regulation Decimation Act

Taylor, David J.

Regulation Decimation ActThis bill requires federal agencies to repeal certain existing rules prior to issuing a new rule.Specifically, the bill prohibits an agency from issuing a rule that imposes a cost or responsibility on a nongovernmental person or a state or local government unless it repeals ten or more related rules.Additionally, an agency may not issue a major rule that imposes such a cost or responsibility unless (1) the agency has repealed ten or more related rules, and (2) the cost of the new rule is less than or equal to the cost of the rules being repealed.&nbsp;A&nbsp;major rule is a rule that has resulted in or is likely to result in (1) an annual economic effect of at least $100 million; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, or innovation.Any such repealed rule must be published in the Federal Register.This bill does not apply to a rule or major rule that (1) relates to an internal agency policy&nbsp;or practice, (2) relates to&nbsp;procurement, or (3) is being revised to be less burdensome to decrease requirements imposed or compliance costs.Additionally, each federal agency must submit to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget a report that includes a review of each rule of the agency and that identifies whether each rule is costly, ineffective, duplicative, or outdated.