Pro-biz bill seeks to rein in regulations

A new bill would protect Virginia business owners from unnecessary rules and regulations, a business advocacy organization says.

HB390, proposed this month by Delegate Todd Gilbert of the Virginia General Assembly, requires the Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation to assess any new or modified legislation governing Virginia's professions, trades or occupations.

The National Federation of Independent Business this month announced its support of HB390. Nicole Riley, state director of NFIB/Virginia, has decried the burdensome nature of regulations impacting small businesses.

"There's been a 60 percent increase in major federal regulations since 2005," Riley said in October. "Today, there are upwards of 4,200 environmental, labor and other regulations pending at the federal level, and that makes it hard for small businesses to plan ahead - and discourages them from expanding and creating new jobs."