SB 688: Office of Regulatory Counsel.

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 Governors 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 directors 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.