[caption id="attachment_19985" align="alignleft" width="300"] Mike Gill is the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development.[/caption]

August 2015

Business Pulse: Be heard on regulatory reform

Mike Gill is Secretary of the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development.

Governor Hogan appointed me to this job almost nine months ago. I've seen a lot, learned a lot, and met a ton of great people from Ocean City to Oakland. But despite all the new perspective I've gained, one thing has not changed I am bullish on Maryland. I believe more strongly than ever in our great state's power and potential. That's the key word right there - potential. We are not yet where we should be, or need to be.

Under the Governor's leadership, we took one step closer last month with the creation of the Regulatory Reform Commission. It's a government commission to review bureaucratic regulations. I understand if it's not everyone's idea of a "sexy" story, but to us in the Hogan Administration and to businesses around the State, the Commission is a big deal. Outdated and burdensome regulations are one of the biggest complaints we hear from the business community, and the work of the Commission is a huge part of making Maryland more competitive.

Through the 2015 legislative session and in the months since then, we've worked closely with the House of Delegates and the Senate to reform the way Maryland does economic development. We're making good progress and will have much to show you in just about a month. Regulations are next on the list. Most, if not all, are well-intentioned. But sometimes they miss the mark. Sometimes they go too far. And sometimes they just grow old and stale. In those cases, they make our state a less attractive place for business. They make it harder for Marylanders to find work and do their jobs well. They keep us from reaching that potential that we all know we have.

Governor Hogan promised a "top-to-bottom review" of regulations in Maryland, and that's what we will get. But for it to be truly effective, we need your help. The Commission will be holding a series of meetings around the state to gather input. We encourage you to attend and speak up. Let us know how we can make it easier for you to do business in Maryland. Together, we can change Maryland for the better.

Meetings will be held from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM.

September 10 (Central Maryland - Baltimore City, Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Carroll Counties)
Baltimore City Community College
Harper Hall, Suite 204
2901 Liberty Heights Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21215-7893

September 17 (Capital Region - Prince George's, Montgomery, Howard Counties)
University of Maryland, College Park
Stamp Student Union
1021-A Union Lane
College Park, MD 20742
(parking located in the building next door to the Student Union)

September 24 (Northern Maryland - Harford, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne's Counties)
Decoy Museum
215 Giles Street
Havre de Grace, MD 21078

September 30 (Western Maryland - Frederick, Washington, Allegany, Garrett Counties)
Volvo Group Trucks
13302 Pennsylvania Avenue
Hagerstown, MD 21742

October 7 (Southern Maryland - Charles, Calvert, St. Mary's Counties)
Jacee's Community Center
2090 Crain Highway
Waldorf, MD 20601

October 13 (Eastern Shore - Caroline, Talbot, Dorchester, Wicomico, Worcester and Somerset Counties)
Hyatt Regency
100 Heron Blvd.
Cambridge, MD 20613