As DOGE works to streamline federal processes in D.C., Montana leaders are celebrating a historic milestone in cutting red tape. In 2021, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte created the Red Tape Relief Task Force in his first week in office. He appointed Lt. Governor Kristen Juras to head up the initiative, joined by the leaders of 13 executive departments. On February 21 of this year, they celebrated the impressive milestone of amending and repealing 25% of state regulations over the past four years.
At the inception of this effort, Lt. Gov Juras noted, “By thoroughly and carefully reviewing, rolling back and repealing unnecessary regulations, while also ensuring safeguards for public health and consumer safety, we will reduce the burden everyday Montanans face.”
This task force did just that - producing 188 bills, 170 of which were passed into law. They took the time to look at the fine print to remove unnecessary barriers and meticulously reviewed the regulatory code across the entire state government. From 2021 to 2023, they found that the agencies that did not participate in the red tape relief initiative increased their regulatory burden by 2.5%, while agencies that did participate decreased it by 2.8%
One example from 2022 is when Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen announced business filing fees were reduced, saving Montana businesses approximately $1,139,000. The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks also utilized technology to develop a way to fill a hunting tag through a mobile app.
In September of 2024, Montana was ranked as the 4th best state in the union for regulatory freedom by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Dr. Patrick McLaughlin, the Director of Policy Analytics at the Mercatus Center said, “There's a simple way for states to boost their economies: eliminate unnecessary regulations. Policymakers in a handful of states, including Montana, have realized this, and begun identifying red tape and getting it off the books. More states should take note of this proven and low-cost strategy.”
The tangible results have been undeniable. The statistics show that there is a strong correlation between simplifying statutes and growing an economy. The Montana Business Economic Report showed that 63,808 new businesses were created in Montana in 2024, making it the 4th year in a row that this number has grown. Montana also achieved a state record of 324,000 businesses in “good standing” by the Better Business Bureau. Business owners want to create and employ in states where permitting is streamlined, technology is utilized, and unnecessary government interference is cut. Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen attributes the growing business environment to red tape being cut.
Throughout this assessment from the task force, the members have consistently engaged public opinion. Across all departments, a resident can submit a suggestion as to how they can specifically make different processes and codes easier to understand and access.
Governor Gianforte celebrated the milestone of repealing 25% of Montana’s regulatory code by saying, “Working with the dedicated employees at our state agencies, we got to work to repeal code and regulations that have been on the books for as long as 130 years. When I took office, I made a commitment to making government more responsive and efficient and we’re getting it done.”
Lt. Governor Juras added, “While I am proud of our progress, there is still more work to do to serve Montanans better. I look forward to seeing our bills get across the finish line,”
Governor Gianforte and Lt. Governor Juras did a fantastic job tackling this initiative head on. They have proved that states need to regularly audit their regulatory code across every sector to experience efficient processes, increase satisfaction of their citizens, and to grow their economy. A very simple step that other states could take would be implementing more sunset laws for specific programs. This guarantees that regular review will take place, and there aren’t outdated methods being used in the modern legal landscape.
Montana’s Red Tape Relief Task Force followed through on its promises. The rest of the country should look at states like Montana for guidance in shrinking the regulatory burden and growing an economy.