Pennsylvania has made tremendous progress on cutting down wait times for permits and licenses—but a group of lawmakers say this is the first step of many to make the commonwealth competitive for businesses.

The Pennsylvania Economic Competitiveness Caucus held its first press conference today. Over 20 lawmakers have joined up, from both sides of the aisle for the House and Senate.

A graphic at today’s presser pointed out that CNBC puts Pennsylvania at 41st in business friendliness (though overall the state is ranked at 17), Forbes says the state is 40th in growth prospects (and 27th overall), and U.S. News ranks the overall state economy at 41st in the nation. For the new caucus, those ranks are the status quo to change.

“If we want to turn those numbers around, we need bold, bipartisan action to make our state more competitive and create an economy that works for everyone,” Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill said today.

Phillips-Hill’s permit reform law that was passed last year requires the Environmental Protection Department to speed up their processes.

“One of the stories [shared today] was that it takes longer to get a permit here than it does to build a hotel in West Virginia,” Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) said.

Republican members of the group have spoken on how continuing permit reform and cutting regulations will be key. Rep. Clint Owlett (R-Tioga) said seeing progress is what matters.

“What is it going to take for businesses to look at Pennsylvania and say, 'hey, I want to go there because the business climate is incredible.' And that's not what we have right now,” Owlett said. "So let's look to pull together, pull up at the same table, work across the aisle and across the chambers and make this happen.”

Democrat members are eager to find the policy overlaps—and are highlighting how things like child care and wage rates come into play.

“That's the genesis of the caucus, is finding where are those pieces of policy? Where's a place in the middle we all can meet that will have an economic effect both on our workforce and on our businesses in Pennsylvania?” Rep. Paul Friel (D- Chester) said, the Democrat House chair of the new caucus.

Following today’s presser, lawmakers and industry advocates piled into a room for their first meeting. The caucus plans to tour the state and speak with businesses and other impacted groups as they work on legislation.

One thing that both union advocates and business advocates said today was that an organized energy plan is critical to get the state ahead.