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House votes to require
governor’s signature on agency rules
Significant new state
agency rules would need the governor’s signature before they could take
effect, under a measure approved today by the House of Representatives.
Rep. Mike
Armstrong, R-Wenatchee, said House Bill 1276 is a significant
step toward improving accountability in state government.
“State agency rules that
have the force of law are enacted by appointed agency directors who are
not directly accountable to the people,” Armstrong explained. “Requiring
the governor, who is elected by the citizens, to approve any rules
before his administration adopts them brings a much greater level of
accountability to the rule-making process.”
The bill would require the governor’s signature on any substantive rule
that would subject violators to a penalty or sanction, affects the
standing of licenses or permits, or adopts a new policy or regulatory
program.
The signature requirement
would apply to rules proposed by agencies under the direct authority of
the governor, and not those with separately elected directors.
“The agencies are one step removed from public accountability and have
been too eager at times to exercise their rule-making authority,” said
Armstrong. “Anything we can do to give the citizens a stronger voice
will improve our state’s regulatory climate and prevent overzealous
agencies from running roughshod over the will of the people.”
Accountability in
rulemaking has been a significant agenda item for House Republicans, who
have sought to improve the state’s regulatory climate for citizens and
employers. In addition to requiring the governor’s signature on new
rules, Armstrong said he also supports reforms to prevent proposed rules
from being adopted until they’ve been reviewed by elected state
lawmakers, as well as a measure that would place the burden of proof on
state agencies when citizens file a legal challenge against new rules.
House Bill 1276 was
approved 93-1 and now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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For more information, contact:
John
Sattgast, Public Information Officer: (360) 786-7257
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