Csi Ohio: The Common Sense Initiative

Earlier this month Lt. Governor Mary Taylor asked the Ohio Senate to pass legislation that would create the “CSI Ohio: the Common Sense Initiative,” that she will be heading under Governor John Kasich’s new administration.

Launched in January of this year, the goal of CSI Ohio is to review Ohio’s regulatory system to eliminate excessive and duplicative rules that the Governor believes stand in the way of job creation. The Initiative calls for reform of Ohio’s regulatory policies.

Specifically the bill will:

• Require analysis of each proposed rule or regulation up for renewal for its impact on small business;
• Give the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, a bipartisan legislative panel, authority to reject rules if the regulatory purpose does not outweigh the impact on businesses;

• Create a CSI Office within state government to oversee the effort;
• Require agencies to consolidate applications for registrations for new businesses in a single online tool to eliminate wasteful, duplicative efforts and save time and money for businesses.

As evidence of the state’s excessive laws, Lt. Gov. Taylor referenced an Avon, Ohio company that recently started making soup for a national restaurant chain. In order to follow its recipe, the company was required to buy approximately 1,300 kegs of beer at retail prices under Ohio’s current laws. Currently, the state liquor law mandates that food manufacturing companies such as the Avon company purchase alcoholic additives through retail outlets. Lt. Gov. Taylor stated that, “[t]his increases their costs, adds operating hurdles that reduce their competitiveness and ultimately impacts their ability to grow and create new jobs.” Lt. Gov. Taylor aims to revamp the law so that food-manufacturing companies can purchase alcohol additives such as beer, wine and liquor from wholesalers.

Additionally, in order to assist in reaching her goals, Lt. Gov. Taylor launched a website and email address for the Initiative. The internet site and email address, available at www.governor.ohio.gov/CSI or via email at CSIOhio@governor.ohio.gov. They were created to allow visitors to share ideas and sign up for updates on the progress of the Initiative. Lt. Gov. Taylor hopes that, “[t]hese tools will allow us to solicit the feedback and ideas of Ohioans and our business community to help tear down the barriers to job creation and economic development in our state.”

Lt. Gov. Taylor said, “We are confident that, with [the business community’s] help, we can achieve the right balance of regulations that makes Ohio businesses competitive and protects the health and safety of Ohioans.”

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