And they’ve done so without controversy.

I wrote last fall about states finding success at reducing red tape, and Idaho was among the ones discussed (also Ohio, Virginia, and Rhode Island). Writing for Mercatus, James Broughel and Krista Chavez give an update on Idaho and tout it as a model for other states:

Last month, Idaho Governor Brad Little announced that the state cut more than 1,800 pages of regulations in 2019, bringing its total regulatory count down to just 41,000 restrictions. If this new count is accurate, it would make Idaho the least regulated state in the nation, according to recent research from the Mercatus Center.

That’s great news for Idaho. But what does this development mean for the future of regulatory policy more generally?

First, the Idaho experience demonstrates that state governments can significantly reduce regulations without much fanfare or controversy. Idaho claims to have cut or simplified an astounding 75 percent of its rules. This regulatory reform is being done transparently with input from the public in the form of written comments and public meetings. Early next year, state legislators will also have a say when they decide whether or not to give final approval to Governor Little’s new streamlined administrative code. …

There’s more, so read on, Lizzy.

How do Idaho’s 41,000 regulatory restrictions compare with North Carolina’s? Try this: with 109,000 regulatory restrictions, North Carolina has over two and a half times more regulatory restrictions than Idaho.