Senate Bill 14 | Effective: 9-1-25 |
Senate Author: King et al. | Senate Committee: Economic Development |
House Sponsor: Capriglione et al. | House Committee: Delivery of Government Efficiency |
Senate Bill 14, the Regulatory Reform and Efficiency Act, amends the Government Code to establish the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office within the governor's office for specified purposes, including the following:
The bill prohibits the office from recommending the repeal of a rule the purpose of which is to inform members of the public about the rulemaking process or facilitate public participation in that process. The bill requires the office to publish a regulatory economic analysis manual containing best practices for preparing regulatory analysis documents and a regulatory reduction guide to assist each state agency in reducing rules and other regulatory requirements.
Senate Bill 14 authorizes the office to establish the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Advisory Panel to serve as an advisory panel to the governor's office and a rulemaking and regulatory efficiency forum to assist the office and the panel in accomplishing their respective purposes. The bill sets out provisions relating to the administrative support and composition of the advisory panel and establishes the purposes of the panel, including identifying and expanding opportunities for implementing efficiencies in the regulatory process and assisting the office and state agencies in identifying unnecessary and ineffective rules. The bill provides for a biennial report on activities undertaken by the office and any legislative recommendations to accomplish and further those activities. The bill also provides for the establishment of a website that allows a person to search for rules and related information. Implementation of the bill's provisions relating to regulatory and rulemaking efficiency and a related website is mandatory only if a specific appropriation is made for such purpose.
Senate Bill 14 revises content requirements for notice of a proposed rule. Among other provisions, the bill provides for the voidability of a rule that is not in substantial compliance with requirements for local employment impact statements or government growth impact statements and for a court's authority to remand the rule, or a portion of the rule, to the state agency in noncompliance with those requirements. The bill also establishes that a court is not required to give deference to a state agency's legal determination regarding the construction, validity, or applicability of the law or an agency rule and requires a court reviewing an applicable contested case to review all questions of law de novo without giving such deference.