Ep. 117 - AI, Transparency & Taxpayer Savings: Lessons from Virginia

Can artificial intelligence help make government more efficient while saving taxpayers and businesses billions of dollars? On this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Reeve Bull, Policy Director at the Fulcrum Foundation and former Director of the Office of Regulatory Management under Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, to discuss one of the nation's most successful state regulatory reform efforts—and how Texas is building on that success with artificial intelligence. Bull explains how Virginia eliminated or streamlined more than 35% of its regulatory requirements, reduced nearly half the words in agency guidance documents, and generated an estimated $1.4 billion in annual savings for residents and businesses—all while maintaining protections for public health and safety. The conversation covers: How Virginia reduced regulatory burdens and saved taxpayers billions Using AI to review regulations, permits, and government guidance Why transparency is just as important as cutting regulations Texas' new Regulatory Efficiency Office (TRIO) and what comes next Occupational licensing reform and reducing unnecessary barriers to work How states can compare regulations and learn from one another The future of AI in modernizing state government Bull also discusses how AI can rapidly identify outdated regulations, duplicate rules across agencies, and compare state regulatory codes—tasks that would traditionally require thousands of hours of manual review. Throughout the discussion, he argues that smarter regulation isn't about eliminating necessary protections, but ensuring government rules are effective, transparent, and no more burdensome than they need to be. 00:00 — Virginia's $1.4 billion regulatory reform 00:29 — Intro + Meet Reeve Bull 02:08 — Why regulations matter 04:12 — The cosmetology licensing example 08:32 — The goals behind Virginia's reforms 09:29 — Cost-benefit analysis explained 14:48 — Reviewing every regulation 16:31 — How AI changed the process 21:58 — AI's biggest advantages 27:17 — Did Virginia meet its goals? 30:37 — Texas' TRIO initiative 35:07 — How reforms actually get approved 37:22 — Building support for regulatory reform 40:14 — Why now is the right time for AI 42:25 — The Fulcrum Foundation 43:30 — Closing thoughts Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks Follow us on social mediaX: @Texas_DispatchInstagram: thetexasdispatchLinkedIn: The Texas DispatchTikTok: texas_talks_podcast Find more at The Texas DispatchYour source for state news, policy, and investigative journalism.https://thetexasdispatch.com