Washington is one of the most regulated states nationwide. But that comes at a cost for its residents.

Seattle, Wahsington – Based on an extensive study by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Washington ranks as the seventh most regulated state in the United States—a position it has maintained for the second year straight. Examining the nuances of state laws in the United States, the paper shows that Washington’s Administrative Code has more than 201,634 regulatory restrictions totaling more than 18.3 million words.

The Mercatus Center’s extensive research is a part of continuous attempt to measure the scope of state laws. Particularly, the analysis leaves out whole data for Arkansas, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia, which, should be included, could change the rankings. The center’s approach focuses on counting the limited terms—such as “must,” “shall,” and “required”—which specify obligatory obligations inside the regulatory language.

Emphasizing Washington’s consistent regulatory environment, Dr. Patrick McLaughlin, director of policy analytics and a senior research scholar at the Mercatus Center,

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“Washington is the eighth most regulated state in the country, for the second year in a row,” explained Dr. McLaughlin.

In Washington, the sectors most hampered by rules include animal production, ambulatory health care, and manufacturing of petroleum and coal products. Except for the petroleum sector, which is somewhat below the national average, these sectors deal with thousands of particular rules that exceed the average in many situations.

McLaughlin further emphasized the relative nature of government by noting the clear variations in regulatory loads between Washington and its less regulated neighbors. McLaughlin also noted that the least-regulated state in the nation, Idaho, or head north to British Columbia, has quite different regulatory impact as one crosses the border. McLaughlin questioned if Washington was clearly cleaner or safer than its less regulated rivals in spite of the strict rules.

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The results of the study imply that there is little effort to review the efficacy of current regulations even while Washington is adding to its already heavy regulatory body. Many times, this continuous pile of rules results in unexpected societal and economic effects including higher costs and corporate entrance hurdles.

McLaughlin remains enthusiastic about the possibility for legislative change in Washington despite the difficulties.

“Because Washington has so many rules on the books that have accumulated for decades, the state has a great opportunity to cut unnecessary red tape and reap the economic benefits of doing so,” he said.

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The differences in regulatory policies and their results still drive discussions about the ideal degree of government engagement in the economy. Washington’s reputation as among the most regulated states is a special case study in juggling environmental quality, safety, and economic growth.