Bergeson’s Bill to Slash Regulatory Red Tape OKd in Senate : Legislation: The measure aimed at helping businesses set up shop in California is sent to the Assembly.

Hoping to cut regulatory red tape, an Orange County lawmaker won Senate approval Wednesday of legislation to streamline the often-cumbersome permit process businesses must negotiate before setting up shop in California.

The bill sponsored by Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach) was approved on a 23-to-1 vote and now goes to the Assembly for review, where its supporters predict it will face limited opposition.

Under existing laws, companies trying to build new plants or start up a business in California typically must obtain a variety of permits from agencies overseeing everything from air and water quality to hazardous materials and pesticide laws. Business advocates contend that the process often causes delays. In some cases, firms simply don’t bother moving to the state because of the complex requirements.

Bergeson’s legislation would allow businesses to apply for approval from a “consolidated permit agency,” which would shepherd the application through other agencies. In addition, the measure would establish concrete time limits for agencies to review a project, giving companies assurances that the process would not drag on.

Advocates for the measure say the prime beneficiaries will be out-of-state firms unfamiliar with the maze-like regulatory process in California as well as established mom-and-pop businesses that lack the expertise and staff to push through a multitude of permits.

“If California is going to persist with the kind of Hydra-headed regulatory system we have now, then I think this bill is a good tool,” said Dick Kreutzen, legislative consultant for Californians Against Red Tape, a coalition of business groups fighting regulations they say are putting a damper on free enterprise in the state.

Although the dreary California economy has most state lawmakers in a mood to help business, Bergeson’s bill has yet to win the support of several key environmental groups. The Sierra Club, for instance, wants to see the Orange County lawmaker put in provisions giving opponents a good chance to appeal regulatory approval.

“We’ve got some concerns, but we’re on the path toward working them out,” said Michael Paparian, state director of Sierra Club California.