Rep. Glen Casada (R-Franklin) and Senator Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) on Tuesday unveiled a new measure aimed at cutting the size of Tennessee government. The initiative, referred to as the Office of the Repealer, follows through on a Republican promise to streamline state government, save taxpayer dollars, and make the legislative process more transparent to the general public.
The Office of the Repealer will be a one-time, four-year position with the sole responsibility of making recommendations to the legislature of areas of government waste, duplication, and out-of-date regulations that should be removed from the law books.
In addition, the Office of the Repealer will take recommendations directly from the public, basing its decisions on input received from business-owners, educators, activists, and concerned citizens from across the state.
"While Washington is out of control, Tennessee is getting it right. We understand that the less laws we have on the books that regulate the lives of Tennesseans, the better," said Rep. Casada. "While others around the country have simply talked about cutting the size of government, this program is guaranteed to achieve that goal."
The Office of the Repealer will be housed under the Secretary of State and will be implemented using funding previously approved for a now obsolete staff position, thus costing no additional money to Tennessee taxpayers, they said.
"Reducing the size of government is the cornerstone of the Republican Party platform and I am excited to see this program come to life," said Senator Johnson. "As promised, Republicans in our state are committed to cutting government waste, increasing legislative transparency, and putting more hard-earned money back in the pockets of all Tennesseans."
Rep. Casada serves as chairman of the Tennessee House Republican Caucus. Senator Johnson serves as chairman of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee. Both legislators represent Williamson County in the Tennessee General Assembly.