OKLAHOMA CITY (May 22, 2025)—Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs President Jonathan Small issued the following statement today after Gov. Kevin Stitt signed into law the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025.

“Since he was first elected in 2018, Governor Stitt has focused on reducing regulation more than any other governor in Oklahoma history, and his decision to sign the REINS Act further demonstrates his relentless commitment to cutting bureaucracy,” Small said. “The REINS Act puts Oklahoma on a path to have a dramatically lower regulatory burden in the future, increasing the ability of Oklahomans to economically prosper and thrive.”

House Bill 2728, by state Rep. Gerrid Kendrix and state Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, creates the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025.

Under the bill, the existing Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) will independently review and assess the economic impact of major rules proposed by state agencies, examining any rule expected to create implementation and compliance costs of more than $1 million over a five-year period.

The Legislature would then have the option to approve or disapprove the proposed agency rules, and major rules generating high compliance costs could not be tied to non-major rules in any joint resolution regarding their approval.

Stitt signed House Bill 2728 into law on May 21.

“For too long, Oklahoma has been among the most heavily regulated states in the nation with 142,313 regulations on the books and more added every year,” Small said. “Only 16 states impose more regulations than Oklahoma does. The REINS Act puts the brakes on that process and guarantees that future regulations will be narrowly focused on legitimate public interests authorized by state law. In addition to Governor Stitt, those who have carried this bill to the finish line—particularly state Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, state Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, and all lawmakers who voted in support of the bill—have done a great service to their constituents.”