WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ever-growing regulatory codes pose a very tangible and acutely felt burden on the lives of real people. The Mercatus Center at George Mason University's ground-breaking RegData project endeavors to be the first step to break down these burdensome regulations.
“There are over 1 million directives and restrictions in the federal regulatory code — but perhaps as many as seven times that number on the books in the states,” said Daniel M. Rothschild, executive director of the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. “RegData offers the first opportunity for scholars to explore the economic and social impacts of state regulatory codes — and policymakers are finding opportunities for meaningful reforms that make a real difference in the lives of families.”
The Mercatus Center is using its ground-breaking RegData software to paint a clear picture of how reducing state-level regulations can have a measurable improvement on economic growth. RegData’s “snapshots” of the regulatory codes of 26 states show the real-world effects of how regulations shape economic growth. These snapshots give states a way forward to reduce their regulatory burdens and make a meaningful difference in their citizens’ lives. Kentucky, for example, partnered directly with Mercatus for its regulatory reform initiative. As of August 2018, the state had reviewed over 2,300 regulations, repealed 453 of them, amended an additional 424, and identified hundreds more for future action. So far, Mercatus’ RegData snapshots have reduced red tape in seven states — and more are in progress. These red tape reductions represent an opportunity for economic growth, new job prospects, and overall more prosperity and opportunity for all.
“Thanks to the Mercatus Center, more state policy-makers understand how to increase economic opportunity by reining in bloated regulatory codes,” said Brad Lips, CEO of Atlas Network. “This a huge opportunity for states that want to increase their competitiveness, and Mercatus has provided a roadmap for taking effective action.”
What: Mercatus Center named one of six finalists for Atlas Network's prestigious $100,000 Templeton Freedom Award for its RegData Project
When: Nov. 8, 2018, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner closing ceremony – Intrepid Museum Manhattan Pier 86, West 46th St & 12th Ave, New York, NY 10036
Press Contact: Daniel.Anthony@AtlasNetwork.org or 202-449-8449
Awarded since 2004, the Templeton Freedom Award is named for the late investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton. The award annually honors his legacy by identifying and recognizing the most exceptional and innovative contributions to the understanding of free enterprise, and the public policies that encourage prosperity, innovation, and human fulfillment via free competition. The award is generously supported by Templeton Religion Trust and will be presented during Atlas Network's Liberty Forum & Freedom Dinner gala dinner ceremony Nov. 8, 2018 in New York City. The winning organization will receive a $100,000 prize and the runners-up will each receive $25,000.
The 2018 Templeton Freedom Award finalists are:
- The Buckeye Institute (Columbus, Ohio, United States) – “Increasing Safety, Liberty, and Justice: Comprehensive Criminal Justice Reform in Ohio”
- The Commonwealth Foundation (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States) — “A Titanic Shift: Pension Reform in Pennsylvania”
- The Egyptian Center for Public Policy Studies of Egypt (Cairo, Egypt) — “Better Budget for a Better Egypt”
- Libertad y Progreso (Buenos Aires, Argentina) — “Downsizing of Argentina’s Government”
- Lipa Taxpayers Association (Zagreb, Croatia) — “Campaign Against the Introduction of the Property Tax in Croatia”
- The Mercatus Center at George Mason University (Arlington, Virginia, United States) – “Unleashing Prosperity by Cutting State Regulations”
About The Mercatus Center at George Mason University
Arlington, Virginia-based Mercatus Center at George Mason University trains students, conducts research of consequence, and persuasively communicates economic ideas to solve society’s most pressing problems and advance knowledge about how markets work to improve people’s lives. Its mission is to generate knowledge and understanding of the institutions that affect the freedom to prosper and to find sustainable solutions that overcome the barriers preventing individuals from living free, prosperous, and peaceful lives.
About Atlas Network
Washington-based Atlas Network is a nonprofit organization that strengthens the worldwide freedom movement by connecting more than 485 independent partners in over 90 countries that share the vision of a free, prosperous, and peaceful world where limited governments defend the rule of law, private property, and free markets.
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