Governor Mikie Sherrill has signed Executive Order No. 7, establishing a 90-day pause on the proposal and adoption of new state rules and regulations in New Jersey.
“I am committed to putting New Jersey residents first and ensuring our state government truly works for the people it serves. This means breaking down red tape, eliminating bureaucracy, and saving New Jerseyans’ time and money. Following today’s executive order, we will review proposed regulations in the pipeline and deliver lasting, positive change for communities across the state,” said Governor Sherrill.
The order directs all state agencies to halt proposing or adopting any new rules for 90 days, except under certain circumstances. Rules that have already been filed with the Office of Administrative Law but have not yet appeared in the New Jersey Register must be withdrawn.
State agencies with pending proposed rules are required to notify the governor by February 2 if non-adoption would negatively affect public health or security or interfere with essential operations. The governor may then decide whether to allow specific proposals to proceed before the end of the moratorium.
NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka expressed support for this action: “NJBIA very much supports Governor Sherrill’s signing of this EO today. Obviously, the business community has been very concerned about pending regulations left over from the Murphy administration which we feel will do great damage to the economy – most notably the proposed Department of Labor’s independent contractor rules, data privacy rules under the Attorney General’s office, and several others.
“But beyond that, Governor Sherrill’s pause on the proposed regs is simply good governance. With this change in leadership, it’s important to take account of what is pending and what is proposed to ensure it aligns with the Sherrill administration’s priorities.
“As I often say, a good process yields a fair result. NJBIA thanks Governor Sherrill for this timeout and we look forward to continuing conversations about proposed regulations, both current and future.”
A copy of Executive Order No. 7 is available online.
