Co-Sponsorship Memo Details

Our Commonwealth has thousands of regulations on the books. Many of these acts and regulations were enacted several decades ago and have yet to be reexamined and evaluated in the intervening years as to their relevance, appropriateness, and cost. It’s not only taxes that place a burden on the Commonwealth, business, and citizens, it’s also excessive regulation.  

The Commonwealth does not undertake a regular and systematic independent review of existing regulations, nor does it possess an organized system to receive recommendations from the public, educators, business, government entities, and others on recommendations for repeal, modification or revision of existing statutes and regulations.  

This legislation would create the TRAP (Transparency, Reform, and Accountability for Pennsylvania) Act. Much like the newly created, Federal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the Pennsylvania DOGE would undertake an ongoing review, receive and process recommendations, evaluate the merits of recommendations in accordance with decision rules, and make recommendations to the General Assembly, the Governor, and Executive agencies for repeal, modification, or revision.  

Just like our federal counterpart, this office will also have a sunset date. The office will expire five years after its creation to ensure it is able to properly review all regulations and make necessary recommendations but not add to continued bureaucracy in perpetuity.   

Regulations are a trap for Pennsylvania businesses and residents and this newly created office would a) reduce or eliminate unreasonable, unduly burdensome, duplicative, onerous, outdated, or conflicting statutes that hinder efficiency, understanding, liberty or are detrimental to economic well-being; b) bring statutes up to date to be in harmony with modern conditions; c) foster a more business friendly climate; d) make laws easier to read and understand by a layman. Whereas proposed new regulations are already addressed by legislation and an executive order, this bill will begin to address the tremendous body of existing acts and regulations which have accumulated since the founding of our Commonwealth.   

When asked about the creation of DOGE, President-Elect Trump stated, “it will provide advice and guidance from outside of government, dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” It is my hope that we can also transform this Commonwealth in a similar way.  

Follow @PennDOGE on X on ways we can improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of state government by removing unnecessary and duplicative burdens.  

Please join me in cosponsoring this important piece of legislation to reform Pennsylvania and make it more transparent and accountable to all citizens.