Gov. Tony Evers has vetoed a package of legislation that would have rolled back Wisconsin’s regulatory burden.
Gov. Tony Evers has vetoed a Republican-backed legislative package known as the “Red Tape Reset,” dashing hopes for meaningful regulatory relief that supporters say would have eased burdens on Wisconsin families and small businesses.
The four-bill package, passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature earlier this year, included measures such as requiring administrative rules to sunset every seven years unless reauthorized, implementing regulatory budgeting to cap new costs, limiting each rulemaking scope statement to one rule, and allowing challenges to the validity of existing regulations.
Republicans argued the reforms would address Wisconsin’s staggering 165,000 state-level restrictions, which they claim stifle job creation, homebuilding, and entrepreneurship.
A study cited by backers projected that even a modest 10% reduction in red tape could generate $6.6 billion in economic growth over the next decade.
Evers rejected the bills Friday, calling them an unconstitutional encroachment by the Legislature on executive branch authority over administrative rulemaking. In his veto message, he argued the changes would make state government “less efficient, less effective, and less responsive” to residents’ needs.
The veto drew sharp criticism from conservative groups and lawmakers. Sen. Julian Bradley, a key sponsor, called it emblematic of a “Democrat approach” that prioritizes bureaucracy over opportunity. The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty labeled the decision “irresponsible,” saying it ignores the high costs regulations impose on families and job creators.
Business advocates, including the National Federation of Independent Business, had urged Evers to sign the measures to improve the state’s competitive edge.
