NEW: Republican State Senator Praises Chafee for Regulation Review Plan

NEW: Republican State Senator Praises Chafee for Regulation Review Plan

Republican State Senator Frank Maher Jr. today he applauded Governor Chafee’s efforts to streamline business regulations in Rhode Island.

Senator Maher attended this week’s “We Mean Business Expo,” where the governor announced an accelerated plan to have all state departments and agencies evaluate any regulations that may have an adverse effect on small businesses.

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“This is a bold initiative to try and move the deadline up,” Maher, who supported legislation enabling 2012 Public Law 445. The law requires all state businesses and agencies to review 25 percent of all existing regulations each year for the next four years. Chafee has directed all department heads to complete the first 25 percent by the end of 2012. Each successive 25 percent will be completed in a 120 day period.

“Instead of taking four years to eliminate unnecessary regulations, Governor Chafee is trying to get it done in two. This is a watershed moment for Rhode Island,” said Karl Wadensten, who attended the expo with Maher. Wadensten, who owns VIBCO Vibrators, is chair of the Making it Easier to Do Business subcommittee of the Economic Development Corporation.

“This is a sterling opportunity to get rid of redundancies in our state’s regulations. There are 1,638 regulations that apply to 96,000 small businesses in Rhode Island. Those numbers speak for themselves and go a long way in explaining why it’s become so complex to do business in the OceanState,” Maher said.

Wadensten’s company is renowned for its dynamic organizational culture and for taking a holistic approach to process improvement.

“More than 5,000 employees and 400 company presidents have toured our plant to see real , sustainable process improvement in action…each one has left energized and excited to improve. Anyone involved in the regulatory reform needs to come to our place,” Wadensten said. “I’m extending an invitation and a challenge to every single Rhode Island public official to come learn with an from us.”

Maher, a small business advocate, has been brainstorm with Wadensten to bolster Rhode Island’s small business sector.