West Virginia’s regulatory code has been piling up for decades, creating a growing burden on businesses and households. In Regulatory Reform in West Virginia: Unlocking More Economic Growth (2025), economist Patrick A. McLaughlin shows that West Virginia ranks among the more heavily regulated states, with 131,007 regulatory restrictions on the books and especially high regulation on a per-capita basis. The report argues that this accumulation is not just a paperwork problem; it has real consequences for growth and opportunity.
The paper outlines practical ways to reverse regulatory accumulation, drawing lessons from places that have successfully cut red tape through targeted reductions and “regulatory budgeting” approaches. McLaughlin also estimates the potential upside for West Virginia. Depending on the scale of reform, reducing regulatory restrictions could increase the state’s economy by 3.1% to 19.1% by 2037, adding an estimated $3.3 billion to $20.3 billion in current dollars.