2023 Governor's State of the State speeches: on Government Reform


Doug Burgum: We need Farm Freedom legislation, and we need it now!

Other states, like South Dakota, have carve-outs in their family farming laws that smartly allow nonrelated parties to pool capital for animal agriculture operations like feeding livestock and poultry, operating a dairy and for pork production. Let's allow animal agriculture to flourish in North Dakota once again. We need Farm Freedom legislation, and we need it now!
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the N.D. legislature Jan 3, 2023

Gretchen Whitmer: Expand voting rights, protect election workers

I'm looking at my daughters and thinking of all the young people in our state. They're smart, engaged, and fighting for their future--record turnout on campuses last November proved it. I know Secretary of State Benson will ensure their voices--and the voices of every Michigander--are heard in every election. Together, we are going to expand voting rights, protect election workers, and build on last year's bipartisan law to help military members and their families overseas have their votes counted.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Michigan legislature Jan 25, 2023

Jared Polis: Most important thing is to protect our waterways and rights

Water is life in Colorado and the west; it's as simple as that. But we're at a crossroads. The most important thing we can do for water security is protect our waterways and rights. Hotter, drier conditions have strained our resources in a time when demand continues to grow. Our rivers and streams aren't just life sources for Colorado, but for the entire American West. We must continue to fight for our rights and lead the way to a sustainable future.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Colorado legislature Jan 17, 2023

Joe Lombardo: End universal mail-in ballots; require voter ID

Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Nevada legislature Jan 23, 2023

Josh Green: We must be open, transparent, and accountable to the people

I agree with the recommendations of the House Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct--it's time to "rebuild integrity and trust in government." When it comes to governance, sunlight, open windows, and plenty of fresh air are the best disinfectants. We need to build trust--and to do that we must be open, transparent, and accountable to the people.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Hawaii legislature Jan 23, 2023

Katie Hobbs: Close water poaching loophole that's being exploited

In many parts of our state, there are effectively no restrictions on groundwater pumping. A new water user can move in, dig a well, and pump as much water as possible--even if it dries up the community's aquifer. This is why you see a Saudi Arabian conglomerate pumping local groundwater nearly unchecked in La Paz County, to grow water-intensive crops and send them to the other side of the planet. Let's close this water poaching loophole and modernize the Arizona Groundwater Management Act.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Arizona legislature Jan 9, 2023

Kim Reynolds: Put a moratorium on new rulemaking, assess existing rules

Iowa's Administrative Code has ballooned to more than 20,000 pages and 190,000 restrictive terms. Many of these rules are unnecessary. Some are actually counterproductive, short-circuiting legitimate economic activity and making our state less competitive. Today, I signed an executive order that puts a moratorium on new rulemaking while directing state agencies to assess whether their existing rules--each and every one--are worth the economic cost.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Iowa legislature Jan 10, 2023

Mike DeWine: Consolidate services in new Dept. of Children and Youth

We quickly learned that the supports we provide Ohio children are strewn across departments, agencies, and offices, sometimes causing duplication and inefficiencies. I am proposing the creation of a new Cabinet-level agency, called the "Department of Children and Youth." This statewide agency will allow us to have a sharp focus on children's issues. Our proposed Department of Children and Youth Services will consolidate programs from six different state agencies.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Ohio legislature Jan 31, 2023

Mike Dunleavy: A moral obligation to fulfill the promise of statehood

Sixty-four years after we've joined the union, Alaska is still fighting for its rights to be treated as a sovereign by the federal government that's on equal footing with the other states. For example, the Biden Administration, over the past two years, has restricted Alaska's ability to capitalize on the resources within our borders. We have a moral obligation to ensure that we fulfill the promise of statehood and are allowed to create our own destiny for future generations.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Alaska legislature Jan 23, 2023

Spencer Cox: Government decisions are major drivers in price of a home

We know that government decisions are one of the major drivers in the price of a home. Not just taxes and fees, but every requirement placed on a builder increases the cost of a home. We can build more and do it in a way that does not diminish the quality of life. Smart density, in the right places, paired with improved infrastructure from wise investments, and a renewed emphasis on single-family starter homes will make certain that Utah does not become like California.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Utah legislature Jan 19, 2023

Chris Sununu: We are committed to breaking down regulatory barriers

This budget includes landmark legislation to grant universal license recognition for the professions in New Hampshire. If you have a substantially similar license and are in good standing in another state, there's no reason you shouldn't have a license on Day One in New Hampshire! If a small business owner needs a license to operate in their current state -- New Hampshire will recognize their license here, incentivizing working professionals across the nation to move to New Hampshire.

My budget creates an independent Office of Regulatory Review and Government Efficiency to be a watchdog to eliminate and prevent frivolous rules and regulations as well as to find efficiencies within state government. We are committed to breaking down regulatory barriers, lowering the cost of entry to do business here, increasing free-market competition, and signaling to the rest of America that New Hampshire is the #1 state in America for Economic Freedom.

Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the N.H. legislature Feb 14, 2023

Kevin Stitt: Oklahomans deserve to know who's funding political campaigns

Protecting Oklahomans means protecting the integrity of our elections. I'm calling for stronger transparency laws. Because Oklahomans deserve to know exactly who is funding political campaigns. A democracy is doomed when special interests can spread lies and leverage blank checks to buy elections. Protecting Oklahomans means standing up for our values and our way of life.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Oklahoma legislature Feb 6, 2023

Wes Moore: Fill the jobs we desperately need; eliminate ones we don't

Right now, Maryland's government has nearly 10,000 vacancies, with just under 6,100 in the executive branch alone. That means needs are not being met. It means timelines for licensing and approvals are closer to the 19th century, than the 21st. This isn't about creating "big government." This is about creating a better one. That means eliminating and consolidating the positions no longer needed, and filling the ones we desperately do.
Source: 2023 State of the State Address to the Maryland legislature Feb 1, 2023

  • The above quotations are from 2023 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 Andy Beshear on Government Reform.
  • Click here for more quotes by Dan McKee on Government Reform.
Candidates and political leaders on Government Reform:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Apr 02, 2023