State Regulatory Reform

July 16, 2015

By Henry Bogdan, Director of Public Policy and Advocacy, Maryland Nonprofits

Maryland Nonprofits believes, and I was quoted in the Baltimore Sun article, “Panel to assess Md. business regulations” (Thursday, July 9, 2015) saying, that a commission to determine which state regulations are unnecessary, ineffective or overly burdensome for business, should include members who can speak to the reasons (problems or conditions) that those regulations were adopted to address.

We don’t believe that view makes us a critic of the Governor or of efforts to reform state regulations, and that was not my intent. Also mentioned during conversations with the writer of that article were that there are certainly state regulations and/or agency practices that need reform, and that this is clearly something the Governor of the State should try to correct.

As employers nonprofits

understand,
and are subject to, the same regulations as their for-profit counterparts. They employ over 10% of all Maryland workers, and while most are essentially small businesses, they also include several of the largest employers in the State.

Government regulations and procedures should be efficient, and no more intrusive or burdensome than is necessary to effectively protect the public interests and welfare. Assuring this should include participation and input both by those regulated, including affected

nonprofits,
and by those who speak for the public’s interests.

For over seven years, and with support from legislators and legislation, Maryland Nonprofits has been seeking reform of state agency procurement rules and practices that unnecessarily burden, and consume limited resources available for health, education, and social services provided by nonprofits. (A well-documented problem in states across the country, as well as in Maryland).

More recently we have been working with legislators, the Attorney General and the Secretary of State, to make regulation of charity fund-raising more effective in protecting the public and less burdensome on the charities that are regulated.

Our contacts and meetings with officials in Governor Hogan’s administration about these issues, and the very practical “make things work right” attitude they demonstrated, have been extremely encouraging.

Efficiency and effectiveness in government

breeds
greater confidence among the public, and we will continue to support efforts to achieve this.