Chair outlines review process for 233 rule packets, flags major-rule review and bundling plan

The committee chair opened the administrative rules meeting and laid out a four-part compliance review for agency rules, saying the panel’s job is to determine whether rules are lawfully authorized rather than to judge policy. "The committee's role is procedural and statutory, not policy driven," the chair said.

The chair said staff provided a final listing of submissions: "We have 233 packets of rules with a total of 5,213 pages," and noted that total pages are down about 15% from last year. He told members the committee will prioritize timely work to avoid being caught by statutory deadlines.

Why it matters: Changes from recent legislation require a more formal approval track for rules and add fiscal-review obligations. Chair emphasized members should test rules for explicit statutory authority, require agencies’ fiscal analyses and cost methodologies, interpret rules according to legislative intent, and confirm procedural compliance with the Administrative Procedures Act (Title 75).

On fiscal review, the chair described the statutory definition of a "major rule" as one expected to cost $1,000,000 or more over the first five years, which triggers review by the legislative office of fiscal transparency. "If it is a major rule...that has to go by statute through our legislative office of fiscal transparency to review their methodology and to make sure that we've got the right value on those rules," he said, adding that the office has 21 days to complete its review.

To manage workload, the chair said the committee will process rules in six bundles aligned with oversight areas — business and commerce; education; energy and natural resources; general government; health; and judicial and public safety — and will assign packets so members receive roughly equal page counts. He said the assigned member will be the primary contact for a packet and others may supply input through that person.

The chair named staff supporting the committee, including Brad Wolgamott, a new assistant Doug Amos, attorney Sarah Witherspoon, Andrea Holder, and Laurie Oldham, and urged members to contact staff for materials such as Title 75. He also said seven bills have been assigned to the committee for the session and that a follow-up meeting is likely the next week.

Representative Waldron raised a procedural question about workload: "I assume we're gonna follow last year's tradition where the new members get a double load of packets," which the chair said would generally happen though he said he preferred not to put that on the record.

The meeting ended after the chair reiterated expectations for timely review and process transparency and adjourned the session.