Shortly after taking office last year, the governor’s office created the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) to help eliminate unnecessary regulatory road blocks for Ohio businesses and businesses that might be looking to locate here.
In July, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor appointed Dan Young, CEO of Young’s Jersey Dairy, to serve on the nine-member Small Business Advisory Council – established to advise the governor’s office on the adverse effects of government regulations on Ohio’s small businesses.
The SBAC meets quarterly to review regulations that could be considered excessive, duplicative or create costly barriers to small and growing Ohio businesses. The committee’s goal is not to eliminate regulations but to help remove unnecessary barriers while still protecting the health and safety of all Ohioans.
Before CSI, businesses were notified of new regulations after the fact and oftentimes as a small item in the newspaper. Now those regulations must meet a list of criteria, seeking input from representatives for business owners who would be affected by the bill or law before it is enacted.
One example of that success was announced in December, when an Avon Ohio company stated it was expanding, thanks in part to the CSI’s action to repeal an old Ohio law that prevented the company from being competitive with neighboring states.
Custom Culinary, which includes wine and beer in some of its sauce recipes, was bogged down by a 1930s law that required manufacturers to purchase alcohol additives through retail outlets (at retail prices) instead of at wholesale.
The company faced a possible downsizing because of its inability to compete with its competitors in other states. The law was repealed this year and the company announced it will expand its facility and add 17 new jobs,
Young, in partnership with the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, is reaching out through the chamber’s legislative committee to local businesses for suggestions on bills or regulations to bring before the Small Business Advisory Council.
Any local business that would like to suggest a review of a specific bill or regulation may contact Dan Young at danyoung@youngsdairy.com.
Please limit your email to specific bills or regulations for the SBAC committee to review.
More information about the Common Sense Initiative can be found at www.governor.ohio.gov/CSI.
Have a great Chamber day!
