By: Kolkhorst, Bettencourt  S.B. No. 210
         (In the Senate - Filed November 14, 2016; January 25, 2017,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
  April 24, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; April 24, 2017,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 210 By:  Creighton
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the required repeal or amendment of two state agency
  rules before adoption of a new state agency rule that increases
  costs to regulated persons.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 2001, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 2001.0045 to read as follows:
         Sec. 2001.0045.  REQUIREMENT FOR RULE INCREASING COSTS TO
  REGULATED PERSONS. (a)  In this section, "state agency" has the
  meaning assigned by Section 2001.006.
         (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), a state agency may
  not adopt a proposed rule for which the fiscal note for the notice
  required by Section 2001.024 states that the rule imposes a cost on
  any regulated person, including another state agency, a special
  district, and a local government, unless on or before the effective
  date of the proposed rule the state agency:
               (1)  repeals two state agency rules that impose total
  costs on the person in an amount equal to or greater than the cost
  imposed on the person by the proposed rule;
               (2)  amends two state agency rules to decrease the
  total costs imposed on the person by an amount equal to or greater
  than the cost imposed on the person by the proposed rule; or
               (3)  repeals one state agency rule and amends one state
  agency rule to decrease the total costs imposed on the person by an
  amount equal to or less than the proposed rule.
         (c)  This section does not apply to a rule that:
               (1)  relates to state agency procurement; or
               (2)  is amended to:
                     (A)  reduce the burden or responsibilities
  imposed on a regulated person by the rule; or
                     (B)  decrease the person's cost for compliance
  with the rule.
         (d)  Each state agency that adopts a rule subject to this
  section shall comply with the requirements imposed by Subchapter B
  and Chapter 2002 for publication in the Texas Register.
         SECTION 2.  Section 2001.0045, Government Code, as added by
  this Act, applies only to a rule proposed by a state agency on or
  after the effective date of this Act.  A rule proposed before that
  date is governed by the law in effect on the date the rule was
  proposed, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect only if a specific
  appropriation for the implementation of the Act is provided in a
  general appropriations act of the 85th Legislature.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
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