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It is no secret that Republicans did not perform their best in the 2022 midterms. They lost a Senate seat and won a slim majority in the House of Representatives that sparked a lot of internal turmoil, just ask Kevin McCarthy. On the gubernatorial map, they were only able to flip a single seat: Nevada. There, Joe Lombardo won in a close election and, a few days after taking office, the change of party is already noticeable.
The former Clark County sheriff was sworn in on Jan. 3 and, in front of 700 people, pledged to carry “the cause of conservative ideals that are anchored by the personal responsibility, fiscal discipline and limited government interference.” Ten days later he backed up his words with two executive actions that take direct aim at unnecessary regulations.
The first, dubbed 2023-003, indefinitely froze the implementation of new state regulations or occupational licensing requirements in Nevada, with some exceptions in areas such as public health and safety.
The governor also ordered all executive branch agencies, departments and others to review all existing regulations to recommend which ones should be eliminated, in addition to explaining why the new regulations qualify for exemptions.
To spice things up a bit, Lombardo placed an hourglass in front of all the aforementioned agencies. They have until May 21 to deliver the requested reports, which must include 10 regulations to be eliminated.
“Nevada’s current regulatory structure is too often unfocussed and inefficient, contains regulations that are obsolete and includes regulations that are unnecessarily onerous, thereby limiting the economic potential of the state,” reads one of the executive actions.
The second executive order, 2023-004, is primarily aimed at reversing worker shortages in some important sectors of the state’s economy. “Nevada has been identified nationally as having among the nation’s most onerous occupational licensing requirements, and it is in the State’s best long-term economic interest to have a fair, open, competitive and inclusive economy,” the text reads
He adds that there are currently 1.7 job openings for every unemployed person actively looking for work. According to Lombardo, this figure signifies that “there are acute shortages of employees in core sectors of the economy, including, without limitation, education, health care and technology.”
To help raise that number, all state boards were ordered to suspend new regulations and to justify all occupational licensing requirements.
According to the governor’s office, this latest executive order embodies Lombardo’s “commitment to streamlining regulations and licensing processes in Nevada.”
Joaquín Núñez es licenciado en comunicación periodística por la Universidad Católica Argentina. Se especializa en el escenario internacional y en la política nacional norteamericana. Confeso hincha de Racing Club de Avellaneda. Contacto: [email protected] // Joaquín Núñez has a degree in journalistic communication from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He specializes in the international scene and national American politics. Confessed fan of Racing Club of Avellaneda. Contact: [email protected]