The Problem

Regulations are the rules of doing business or activities within the state of Oklahoma. They are written by state agencies and are mandatory requirements that may apply to individuals, businesses, government entities, non-profits, or others. Regulations are meant to protect public health, welfare, safety, and provide legal clarity. However, over the years agencies may have made more rules than necessary.

The governing code of regulations for Oklahoma is known as the Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC). The OAC is 16,430 pages long, has roughly 35,000 sections of rules, contains 145,296 restrictive phrases, and 9.3 million words. This would take an individual about 515 hours (or 13 weeks) to read. Individuals and businesses in the state of Oklahoma are currently forced to navigate through these layers upon layers of restrictions in order to remain in compliance with Oklahoma’s administrative rules.

This level of red tape and bureaucracy can impede economic growth by placing hurdles in front of individuals and businesses who are trying to start or expand businesses. By limiting the number of regulations, we will be able to provide the clarity and consistency that Oklahomans need in order to pursue their goals and exercise ingenuity.