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Measure SB 688
Authors Niello  
Subject Office of Regulatory Counsel.
Relating To relating to state government.
Title An act to add and repeal Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 12100.200) of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to state government.
Last Action Dt 2025-04-02
State Amended Senate
Status In Committee Process
Active? Y
Vote Required Majority
Appropriation No
Fiscal Committee Yes
Local Program No
Substantive Changes None
Urgency No
Tax Levy No
Leginfo Link Bill
Actions
2025-05-23     May 23 hearing: Held in committee and under submission.
2025-05-16     Set for hearing May 23.
2025-04-07     April 7 hearing: Placed on APPR. suspense file.
2025-04-02     From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-28     Set for hearing April 7.
2025-03-25     From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 13. Noes 0. Page 531.) (March 25). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-07     Set for hearing March 25.
2025-03-05     Referred to Com. on G.O.
2025-02-24     From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 24.
2025-02-24     Read first time.
2025-02-21     Introduced. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.
Keywords
Tags
Versions
Amended Senate     2025-04-02
Introduced     2025-02-21
Last Version Text
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		<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Senator Niello</ns0:AuthorText>
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		<ns0:Title> An act to add and repeal Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 12100.200) of Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, relating to state government. </ns0:Title>
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			<ns0:Subject>Office of Regulatory Counsel. </ns0:Subject>
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			<html:p>Existing law establishes the Government Operations Agency, which consists of several departments including the Office of Administrative Law (OAL). Existing law, the Administrative Procedure Act, governs the procedure for the adoption, amendment, or repeal of regulations by state agencies and for the review of those regulatory actions by the OAL. Existing law requires the OAL to provide for the publication of the California Regulatory Notice Register and to include specified information in the register, including notices of proposed action prepared by regulatory agencies, a summary of regulations filed with the Secretary of State, and a summary of regulation decisions issued, as specified. </html:p>
			<html:p>This bill, until January 1, 2035, would establish the Office of Regulatory Counsel in state government within the Governor’s
			 office, under the direction and control of a director. The bill would require the director to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation of the Senate and for the director’s term to be coterminous with that of the appointing power, except as provided. </html:p>
			<html:p>This bill would require the office to draft and assist in the preparation, consideration, amendment, and repeal of regulations for a state agency, before the state agency submits a proposed action regarding that regulation to the OAL for publication in the California Regulatory Notice Register. The bill would make related legislative findings and declarations. </html:p>
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		<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
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				<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:</html:p>
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					(a)
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					Executive branch rulemaking entities would benefit from a centralized office that drafts regulations on behalf of those entities.
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					(b)
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					The most common reasons that regulations are disapproved by the Office of
				Administrative Law are clarity and consistency. Having an office of experienced drafting attorneys for regulations will help ensure that those regulations are clear, consistent, and within the scope of rulemaking authority.
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					(c)
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					The personnel and other related costs of establishing the Office of Regulatory Counsel within the Governor’s office pursuant to this act shall be absorbed from existing state resources so that there are no new or additional costs incurred to the state because of this act.
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				Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 12100.200) is added to Part 2 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the 
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				, to read:
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								<html:p>For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:</html:p>
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									“Office” means the Office of Regulatory Counsel.
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									“Regulation” has the same meaning as that term is defined in Section 11342.600.
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									(a)
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									The Office of Regulatory Counsel is hereby established in state government within the Governor’s office. The office shall be under the direction and control of an executive officer who shall be known as the director. The director’s term of office shall be coterminous with that of the appointing power, except that the director shall be subject to reappointment.
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									The director shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to the confirmation of the Senate.
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								<html:p>The office shall draft and assist in the preparation, consideration, amendment, and repeal of regulations for a state agency, before the state agency submits a proposed action regarding that regulation to the Office of Administrative Law for publication in the California Regulatory Notice Register, pursuant to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1.</html:p>
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								<html:p>This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2035, and as of that date is repealed. </html:p>
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Last Version Text Digest Existing law establishes the Government Operations Agency, which consists of several departments including the Office of Administrative Law (OAL). Existing law, the Administrative Procedure Act, governs the procedure for the adoption, amendment, or repeal of regulations by state agencies and for the review of those regulatory actions by the OAL. Existing law requires the OAL to provide for the publication of the California Regulatory Notice Register and to include specified information in the register, including notices of proposed action prepared by regulatory agencies, a summary of regulations filed with the Secretary of State, and a summary of regulation decisions issued, as specified. This bill, until January 1, 2035, would establish the Office of Regulatory Counsel in state government within the Governor’s office, under the direction and control of a director. The bill would require the director to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation of the Senate and for the director’s term to be coterminous with that of the appointing power, except as provided. This bill would require the office to draft and assist in the preparation, consideration, amendment, and repeal of regulations for a state agency, before the state agency submits a proposed action regarding that regulation to the OAL for publication in the California Regulatory Notice Register. The bill would make related legislative findings and declarations.