Office of Regulatory Reinvention Appoints Members to the Inspections and Permitting Advisory Rules Committee; New members will assist the Office of Regulatory Reinvention in reviewing the State's inspection and permitting processes

Contact: John Groen 517-373-9280

October 31, 2011 - Today, the Office of Regulatory Reinvention appointed fourteen Michigan citizens to the Inspections and Permitting Advisory Rules Committee. The Inspections and Permitting Advisory Rules Committee will assist the Office of Regulatory Reinvention (ORR) in undertaking a comprehensive review of the State's inspection and permitting processes. 

"A predictable and streamlined permitting and inspection process is important for a strong economic development climate," said Steve Hilfinger, Michigan's Chief Regulatory Officer and director of the ORR. "This committee has many diverse perspectives - we have representatives from economic development organizations, unions, construction companies, developers, municipal organizations, banks and more. This is a highly talented group that I believe will make strong recommendations to make Michigan's regulatory system more efficient and effective."    

Specifically, the ORR appointed: 

• Amy Banninga, Lansing, State Business Ombudsman, Michigan Economic Development Corporation 
• Bill Benoit, Oakland Township, Building Director and Fire Chief for Oakland Township 
• Matt DeLong, Lansing, Real Estate Division Administrator, Michigan Department of Transportation 
• David DiRita, Detroit, Founder and Principal, Roxbury Group  
• Peter Draaisma, Grand Rapids, Senior Vice President, Huntington Bank 
• Bryce Feighner, Lansing, Chief, Office of Environmental Assistance, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality 
• Jackie Hoist, Flint, Registered Architect and a Certified Building Inspector, THA Architects Engineers 
• Mike Jackson, Detroit, Exec. Secretary/Treasurer, Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters 
• Nicholas Koster, Grand Rapids, Vice President of Operations, CWD Real Estate Investment 
• Steven Rewers, Southfield, Project Director, Barton Malow Company 
• Tony Sanfilippo, Lansing, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Fire Safety and Assistant Fire Marshal 
• Lee Schwartz, Webberville, Executive Vice President for Government Relations, Michigan Association of Home Builders  
• James Scott, Lansing, Director, Division of Health Facilities & Services, Bureau of Health Systems 
• John Szerlag, Troy, Troy City Manager 

Hilfinger will chair the committee. The first committee meeting will be held next month in Lansing. 

The ORR was formed pursuant to Executive Order 2011-5. The Executive Order contemplates that, as part of its effort to obtain input from a broad spectrum of stakeholders, the ORR will create certain Advisory Rules Committees. 

The Inspections and Permitting Advisory Rules Committee (ARC) will function for 120 days after formation, unless that date is extended by the ORR. The ARC will issue a report to the ORR containing advisory recommendations upon the completion of their work.  

The ARC will evaluate rules, regulations and non-rule regulatory actions based of the factors listed in Executive Order 2011-5, including the health and safety benefits of the rules; the cost of compliance with the rules; whether the rules are duplicative or obsolete; and other factors.  

Ultimately, the ORR will submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor, based in part on the reports from all of the ARCs. Six other ARCs, Insurance & Finance, Environmental, Liquor Control, Natural Resources, Occupational Licensing and Workplace Safety, have also been created. Other ARCs will be formed in the future, to address other areas of regulation, according to Hilfinger.  

In addition to forming ARCs, the ORR will provide interested parties with the opportunity to share their perspectives on the regulatory environment by, among other things, inviting the submission of comments online at www.michigan.gov/orr and by providing for public comment as part of any formal rulemaking process mandated by the Administrative Procedures Act.    

For more information about LARA, please visit www.michigan.gov/lara
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