2021 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Government Reform

Gavin Newsom: Radically ramp up forest management efforts

This year, we are budgeting more than $1 billion for fire prevention, including fuel breaks, forest health, and home hardening. We forged a historic partnership with the U.S. Forest Service to radically ramp up forest management efforts. We are reducing barriers on hundreds of fuel reduction projects and prescribed burns. We added 30 new fire crews and pre-positioning assets, new C-130s, Blackhawk helicopters, and radar technology. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to California legislature Mar 9, 2021

Ron DeSantis: No to ballot harvesting and private groups spending money

We cannot allow Big Tech to interfere in our elections by putting a thumb on the scale for political candidates favored by Silicon Valley. We need to make sure our elections are transparent and run efficiently. There should be no ballot harvesting in the state of Florida. One person, one vote. We also cannot allow private groups to pour millions of dollars into the administration of our elections. That is a public function and should be done free from this type of private interference. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Florida legislature Mar 2, 2021

J.B. Pritzker: Pass ethics legislation, restore public trust

It's time to pass ethics legislation this year. Nobody should hold the title of both legislator and lobbyist at the same time. We need meaningful disclosure of conflicts of interest. We must end the General Assembly's revolving door allowing legislators to get paid as lobbyists the day after they leave office. Restoring the public's trust is of paramount importance. There is too much that needs to be done. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Illinois legislature Feb 17, 2021

Jim Justice: Create cabinet posts on tourism & economic development

I am asking you to elevate cabinet level agencies to secretaries of cabinets in two areas. You see, I am hung up like crazy on tourism and economic development. I am asking you to create two agencies, two new cabinet positions. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to West Virginia legislature Feb 10, 2021

Gina Raimondo: Rhode Island Supreme Court now multiracial, majority female

These principles have guided our determination to appoint judges who look like the people they serve. I'm proud to have appointed highly-qualified, talented judges at every level of our court system, including the most diverse group of judges in state history. And, for the first time ever, the Rhode Island Supreme Court is now multi-racial and majority-female. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to Rhode Island legislature Feb 3, 2021

Greg Abbott: Election integrity essential to our democracy

The integrity of our elections is so essential to our democracy. One thing all of us should agree on whether you're a Republican, Democrat, or Independent, is that we must have trust and confidence in the outcome of our elections. That why Election Integrity will be an emergency item this session. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Texas legislature Feb 2, 2021

Kevin Stitt: Government's job is to get out of the way & cut red tape

Another key to a strong economy is letting businesses grow without fear of government overreach. We must continue our focus on cutting red tape. By working together to get rid of excessive regulation, we'll unlock Oklahoma's full economic potential for workers, business owners, farmers, and families. The government's job is not to slow things down. It's to get out of the way! Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Oklahoma legislature Feb 1, 2021

Greg Gianforte: Red Tape Relief Task Force to review all regulations

To make Montana more competitive, we also need to get a better handle on our regulatory scheme. It's time to cut back this thicket of red tape, and it's one of my top priorities.

I signed an executive order to establish the Red Tape Relief Task Force. I have charged the task force to complete a comprehensive, top-to-bottom review of regulations in every single state agency. They are to leave no stone unturned as they identify excessive, outdated, and unnecessary regulations.

Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Montana legislature Jan 28, 2021

Mike Dunleavy: Strengthen agricultural sector with fewer regulations

My administration has embarked upon a process to strengthen our agricultural sector. We're going to start by making it easier for farmers to secure land with fewer regulations. We're going to support the growth of our agricultural sector and allow farmers to prosper. In addition, we're going to continue to support our growing mariculture industry. This industry has unlimited potential to provide food, wealth, and jobs to many Alaskans. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Alaska legislature Jan 28, 2021

John Carney: Make mail-in voting a permanent feature of our elections

One of the most important things we did during this pandemic was safeguard our democracy. With the General Assembly's help, we allowed mail-in voting for the first time. That meant hundreds of thousands of Delawareans could stay safe from the pandemic, while exercising their right to vote. And I look forward to signing legislation to make mail-in voting a permanent feature of our elections--from school board and town hall elections to the election for the President of the United States. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Delaware legislature Jan 26, 2021

Tate Reeves: Will advocate for Oregon's voting innovations nationally

We must expand our automatic voter registration program, to include other state agencies who have the capacity to fully capture eligible voters' data safely and securely. We should allow same-day voter registration and ballots to be counted as long as they've been postmarked by election day. I will advocate for Oregon's innovations in voting to be implemented at the national level. Automatic Voter Registration and Vote by Mail should be available to every citizen in this country. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Oregon legislature Jan 21, 2021

Henry McMaster: Magistrate judges should be lawyers, publicly screened

South Carolina has over 300 magistrate judges who receive little public scrutiny before they are confirmed, receive limited legal training and are not required to be lawyers in good standing. Magistrate judges must be required to be attorneys in good standing and certified to practice law. Second, they should be publicly screened in hearings similar to those used for circuit and family court judges. And each member of the Senate should vote on the record on each magistrate's confirmation. Source: 2021 State of the State Address: South Carolina legislature Jan 13, 2021

Ralph Northam: $12 million into natural resources agencies

We're also putting nearly $12 million into water quality, air quality, and land conservation initiatives at natural resources agencies. This includes DEQ staffing to make sure the permitting process is more robust and thorough. These are important investments to ensure that we don't fall behind in protecting these critical assets, and ensuring that DEQ can continue to protect our natural areas. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Virginia legislature Jan 13, 2021

Ralph Northam: Amend constitution so that ex-cons can vote automatically

Virginia is one of just a few remaining states where, if you have a felony conviction, someone has to act to restore your civil rights to vote or run for office. You shouldn't have to ask for your basic civil rights to be restored. I'm proposing to change Virginia's constitution to make that process automatic. If we want people to return to their communities and participate in society, we need to welcome them back fully. It's wrong to keep punishing people forever. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Virginia legislature Jan 13, 2021

Tony Evers: Fixing broken unemployment system is a priority

I'd like to talk about the second bill that should be passed and that's a bill to fix our broken unemployment system. Previous administrations and legislators have known this system was outdated and couldn't handle an economic crisis like the one this pandemic presented, and they never took the time to fix it. I will be calling a special session of the Legislature to take up a plan to modernize our unemployment system and help ensure nothing like this happens to the people of Wisconsin again. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to Wisconsin legislature Jan 12, 2021

Tony Evers: End gerrymandering, stop legislature from destroying records

This year, we're also going to fix another problem: our gerrymandered maps. My biennial budget is going to make sure that the Legislature draws our maps in the light of day, in the public eye, and with public input by requiring public meetings for the map-drawing process. And that's why we're also going to prevent the Legislature from destroying records from the map-drawing process because the people of our state deserve to know how these maps are drawn and by whom. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to Wisconsin legislature Jan 12, 2021

Brad Little: Idaho is now the least regulated state in the nation

A robust economy cannot exist with burdensome regulations on citizens and business. Part of the reason Idaho's economy is catapulting ahead of other states is because of the regulatory rollbacks we achieved. Together, the Legislature and our administration achieved historic regulatory cuts, making Idaho the least regulated state in the nation. The people of Idaho can be assured that their Governor & legislators will maintain a lean and efficient system of regulations in Idaho moving forward. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to the Idaho legislature Jan 11, 2021

Ned Lamont: Easier absentee ballots, early voting should be permanent

Voting is all about our children, and that's why elections do matter. Secretary of the State Denise Merrill gets a shout out for making it easier for us to vote safely--and with integrity--during this pandemic. Voters appreciated the absentee ballots and early voting. We should make this permanent. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to Connecticut legislature Jan 6, 2021

Doug Burgum: One-stop reporting for hazardous spills helps state respond

We can streamline processes to provide better service and increased transparency such as the new Unified Spill Reporting System. The result is a simplified one-stop reporting system for hazardous materials spills, eliminating the need for producers and the public to report spills to sometimes three or four different state agencies. Through increased collaboration and unified reporting, our state agencies are now better prepared to protect North Dakota's water, air and soil. Source: 2021 State of the State Address to North Dakota legislature Jan 5, 2021

The above quotations are from 2021 Governor's State of the State speeches. Click here for definitions & background information on Government Reform. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by Eric Greitens on Government Reform. Click here for more quotes by Eric Holcomb on Government Reform.
*Candidates and political leaders on Government Reform:*
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Page last updated: Feb 24, 2022