Great Lakes Wire

NFIB Michigan Assistant State Director Tim Langholz appeared before the Michigan House Rules Committee to support House Bill 4160, which aims to reinstate a requirement that state departments justify why their administrative rules should be stricter than federal standards. The proposed legislation is intended to reduce regulatory pressures on small businesses in the state.

“What HB 4160 does is re-implement a common sense provision into state law that departments must justify why their administrative rules need to be stricter than the federal rules,” Langholz explained. “This provision strikes the balance between the need for flexibility when it comes to rule making, but provides some oversight to prevent bureaucratic overreach.  Small businesses need this type of common sense legislation.”

The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) has identified regulatory challenges as a significant concern for its members. According to NFIB’s Problems & Priorities survey, small business owners list “Unreasonable Government Regulations” and “Uncertainty over Government Actions” among their top ten concerns.

Langholz cited findings from a 2023 National Association of Manufacturers study, which reported that compliance costs for federal regulations are particularly high for small business manufacturers, who also face additional environmental requirements.

NFIB previously supported similar legislation passed in 2018 and opposed its repeal in 2023.