Data Quality Act needed!
Ask the Governor to remove his opposition!

BACKGROUND
Click here to download Senate Bill 752. PBA is airing a radio ad concerning the Data Quality Act on WHP 580 (Harrisburg); click here to listen.

URGENCY
With the passage of Senate Bill 1, the Right-to-Know law, earlier this year, the Pennsylvania Builders Association and other concerned business organizations believe we should continue the momentum behind efforts to bring more transparency to state government. This can be accomplished by passing Senate Bill 752, which will require that state regulations share the supporting documentation, statistics, report studies or research behind their regulations.

This legislation will improve the overall quality and usefulness of Pennsylvania’s regulations, and it will increase openness in government’s regulatory decisions.

THE ISSUE
This legislation will help ensure the use of current and reliable data, studies, and scientific research by state agencies in Pennsylvania during the promulgation of new regulations. The legislation amends the Regulatory Review Act to expand the scope of review by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission to include the examination of the quality of data, studies, reports and information underlying state regulations.

The burden of justification will be on the regulatory agency to demonstrate that its regulation is based on factual, proven information as evidenced in supporting documentation, statistics, report studies or research. If the agency does not, or cannot, provide such supporting data, this would be grounds for disapproval of the proposed regulation.

YOUR ACTION NEEDED TODAY
The House and Senate leadership are in support of SB 752, but the Governor’s objections keep it from moving forward. We need public support to help convince the Governor that Pennsylvania’s citizens want more open state government and regulations based on proven facts, not guesswork, bias or whimsy. Please click here to join our letter-writing campaign to Gov. Rendell.