One of the most important principles to keep in mind when building a best-in-class regulatory system is that “one size fits all” almost never works in practice. Regulated parties are unique, and so are agencies. What works extremely well in one context may be a poor fit in another. This week’s Highlights features the work of two agencies that tailored their regulations to better fit the situation at hand.

 

The Board of Medicine eliminates an unnecessary processing fee.

Agencies often collect fees in order to ensure that the people benefitting from a government service (as opposed to the taxpayers) cover its cost. But unnecessary fees can deter citizens from undertaking valuable activities or create administrative hassles for citizens and agencies alike.

The Board of Medicine recently identified one such fee associated with respiratory therapists (see Action 6123) who were applying from out-of-state to perform volunteer services in the Commonwealth. At $10, the processing fee cost the agency more to collect than the amount of revenue it generated. By eliminating it, the Board saved everyone time and money.

 

Virginia Department of Health streamlines campground handwashing sink regulations.

Camping is always a fun way to get in touch with nature and step away from some of the luxuries of modern life. No one expects a campground to offer the same conveniences as a hotel or restaurant.

When reviewing its regulations related to campgrounds, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) identified a requirement (see Action 6160) that portable handwashing sinks in temporary campgrounds must be of “food-grade construction.” This imposed unnecessary costs on the campgrounds.

VDH eliminated this unnecessary requirement but also mandated that handwashing sinks use chlorinated water and post a sign indicating that the water is not for drinking. This is a much more tailored approach that will still protect public health but avoid imposing needlessly burdensome restrictions.

Download ORM Highlights: Early-December 2024.