New York Governor Kathy Hochul launches statewide regulatory reset

Governor Kathy Hochul issued an executive order directing New York state agencies to conduct a comprehensive review of thousands of regulations, fees and reporting requirements. The initiative, branded a “Regulatory Reset,” aims to identify outdated rules, unnecessary paperwork and excessive fines that waste time and money for residents and small businesses.

The review is part of the EXPRESS NY program and will employ AI‑enabled tools from Stanford University’s RegLab, the Recoding America Fund and US Digital Response, alongside human experts, to scan and assess the state’s regulatory code. Agencies will examine practices such as mandatory mail or fax submissions, wet signatures, multiple document copies and notarizations. Recommendations could be enacted through rulemaking or statutory changes, with a first wave of actions expected later in the year. The effort builds on a prior rollout of 50 reforms announced in June, intended to streamline government services and reduce bureaucracy.

Hochul said the project represents “the most thorough review of our laws and regulations in New York history” and is designed to save taxpayers time and money while modernising state governance.