Sen. Lois Kolkhorst
Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) has prefiled legislation to limit state agency rulemaking that imposes a cost on a regulated person. S.B. 210 prohibits a state agency from adopting a rule that imposes an additional cost on a regulated person (including another state agency, special district, or local government) without first amending or repealing at least two existing agency rules that impose equal or greater costs on the person. To ensure compliance, the comptroller must issue a written certification that the proposed rule meets the requirements of the statute, a copy of which must be published in the Texas Register together with the proposed rule. The bill does not apply to an agency rule that (1) relates to procurement or (2) is amended to reduce the burden imposed on the regulated person by the rule or decrease the person’s cost of compliance with the rule. If enacted, the requirement would take effect September 1, 2017 and apply to an agency rule proposed on or after that date.
