BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2248

By: Guerra

Economic & Small Business Development

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that governmental regulatory bodies too often adopt rules and issue forms without understanding the impact on commerce or assessing the impact on small businesses, and they point to certain legislative recommendations by a task force in support of removing barriers to small businesses in Texas. H.B. 2248 reflects these legislative recommendations by requiring state agencies to prepare an economic impact statement and a regulatory flexibility analysis if a state agency is made aware that a proposed rule may have an adverse economic effect on small businesses.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2248 amends the Government Code to require a state agency that is made aware after notice of a rule proposed by the agency has been published that the proposed rule may have an adverse economic effect on small businesses or micro-businesses to prepare an economic impact statement and a regulatory flexibility analysis as required for a state agency considering adoption of a rule that may have such an adverse effect, publish the statement and the analysis in the Texas Register as an amendment to the proposed rule, and provide a copy of the statement and the analysis to the standing committee of each house of the legislature charged with reviewing the proposed rule.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.