Two state House committees are preparing to dive into the state’s framework of regulations and licensing requirements in an effort to make it easier to own and operate a business in Missouri.

House Speaker Todd Richardson (R-Poplar Bluff) announced in his opening day address that he’s instructed the House Committee on Government Efficiency and the House Committee on Professional Registration & Licensing to review those requirements.
Richardson said Missouri regulations have slowed the success in Missouri of ridesharing companies Uber and Lyft and lodging companies HomeAway and AirBnB, and he said there are other examples.
Richardson said he wants those committees, “to look at the places where Missouri is out of step with the regulatory requirements necessary to protect the public’s safety.”

The Committee on Professional Registration & Licensing is chaired by Yukon Republican Robert Ross, who said tempering business regulations is a balancing act.

St. Joseph Republican Delus Johnson chairs the Committee on Government Efficiency, who said it could be a multi-year process to vet all the regulations and requirements that are in place.
Ross is also going to file legislation known as, “The Sunshine Act,” which would require an analysis of proposed regulations before they are enacted.
Both committees are expected to begin meeting in the coming weeks. The 2017 legislative session began Wednesday.