Abstract
This study delves into the relationship between natural hazards and state-level regulations in the United States. We posit that natural hazards are associated with changing regulations. Natural hazards lower the cost for policymakers to introduce new and modify existing regulations, which can incentivize opportunistic behaviour and logrolling. Using novel datasets from OpenFEMA, NOAA's Storm Events database, and the Mercatus Center, we find that different disasters are associated with distinct regulatory responses. Severe storms are associated with the implementation of more restrictions, while hurricanes are associated with fewer restrictions, and tornadoes show mixed results. The economic implications, especially the burden of adhering to more regulations and potential regulations unrelated to natural hazards, highlight the need to examine the link between state regulations and disasters.
