Regulatory Modernization Polling Results

As we approached the 2025 Legislative session, the Platte Institute commissioned some polling to see whether Nebraskans were with us on one of our 2025 priorities: regulatory modernization and reform.  

We asked questions similar to those asked in a survey another policy institute asked in Wisconsin, found here. We wanted to compare the results in Wisconsin (which seemed to have a center-right tilt on these issues) to those in Nebraska.  

Two similar questions were asked in the Wisconsin and Nebraska polls: 

Question 1: 

(Wisconsin Version): “Suppose a state agency proposes a new regulation. Should that agency have to seek legislative approval before the regulation goes into effect? 

(Nebraska Version): “If a state agency proposes a new regulation, should that agency be required to seek legislative approval before the regulation goes into effect?” 

Respondents had the options of:

Yes, for all regulations 

Yes, for any regulation with an economic impact of over $500,000 

Yes, for any regulation with an economic impact over $10 million (Wisconsin) or $1 million (Nebraska) 

No 

Not Sure 

Results of Question 1 

 Question 2: 

(Wisconsin Version): “A proposal has been made that any rule or regulation that has been in effect for more than 7 years would have to be reviewed by the legislature to determine whether or not it should remain in effect. Would you favor or oppose this proposal?” 

(Nebraska Version:) “It has been proposed that any rule or regulation that has been active for more than five years should be reviewed by the legislature to determine whether it should continue to remain in effect. Would you support or oppose this proposal?” 

Respondents had the options of: 

Strongly favor/support 

Somewhat favor/support 

Somewhat oppose 

Strongly oppose 

Unsure/no opinion 

Results of Question 2 

 While respondents in both states overwhelmingly support regulatory reform efforts that would result in more legislative oversight, Nebraskans feel more strongly about legislative oversight. That may be because Nebraska has a more pronounced conservative tilt than Wisconsin. It could also be that regulatory reforms in Wisconsin nearly a decade ago have left Wisconsin’s citizens not seeing the same sense of need as Nebraskans do. 

The Platte Institute will be partnering with legislators in the 2025 session to enact legislation that will provide for economic impact studies of rules and regulations enacted by agencies to be reviewed by the Legislature above certain dollar thresholds. We’ll also propose “sunset reviews,” which will seek to continue the efforts instituted by Governor Ricketts’ executive order in 2017 to require agencies to review their rules periodically to see which ones are redundant, outdated, or unnecessary.