AN OPEN LETTER: Pass the REINS Act

Palmetto Promise Institute Founding Chairman and longtime REINS Act champion Jim DeMint penned this open letter to the South Carolina legislature calling for them to pass the Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act.

Dear Members of the South Carolina Senate,

I have long believed that smart, transparent, and accountable regulation is essential to the livelihood of South Carolina families and small businesses. Sensible rules protect health and safety, but the process that produces those rules must be disciplined, open to public scrutiny, and ultimately answerable to the people’s elected representatives.

That’s why, as U.S. Senator for South Carolina, I introduced the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS Act) along with 12 cosponsors, and that is why I urge you to support the Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act (H.3021/S.254). 

At its core, this legislation restores a basic principle of representative government: when a rule has major economic consequences, it should not become law without an affirmative vote by the General Assembly. South Carolina should not allow significant policy choices to take effect by default. Requiring the people’s elected representatives to approve only the most consequential rules improves accountability, gives courts a clear signal that the elected branch, not agencies, has authorized the policy choice, and promotes confidence for agencies and the public alike.

Thanks to an earlier stage of reform, South Carolina already has a law on the books. But according to current law, agencies should examine their rules on a predictable schedule, but without a meaningful enforcement mechanism, many outdated or duplicative regulations remain in place simply because no one is required to justify keeping them. That is why adding accountability to this process is so important. It brings discipline to the process and ensures that our regulatory code works for, not against, the people of this state.

South Carolina is not alone in taking the next step to achieve a balance between necessary safeguards and economic dynamism. Our neighbors who have taken these steps, and South Carolina should not lag behind when it comes to sound governance that honors the separation of powers and respects the people who ultimately bear regulatory costs.

Having run a small business, I know how they lift communities. But they also feel the weight of regulatory accumulation most acutely. The Small Business Regulatory Freedom Act (H.3021/S.254) is a practical, measured way to restore balance—preserving essential protections while ensuring that major decisions receive the consent of the governed. 

Sincerely,

Founding Chairman, Palmetto Promise Institute
Former United States Senator and Representative from South Carolina