RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A legislative report says the financial impact of Virginia’s regulation on manufacturers has not changed significantly since 2005.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission issued a report Monday finding that 73 percent of Virginia’s manufacturer-related regulations had not changed in the last decade.

Of those regulations that were changed, nearly half decreased cost or increased flexibility in complying with the regulation.

Manufacturing is a key part of Virginia’s economy, particularly in the state’s western and southern regions. The manufacturing sector is the state’s fifth largest employer.