Senate Committee advances annual rule‑review bill, SB125, to Committee of the Whole

The Committee on Legal Services voted unanimously to send Senate Bill 125 — the annual rule‑review bill — to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation after adopting two technical amendments that reflect the committee’s recent non‑extension actions.

Jake Baus of the Office of Legislative Legal Services told the committee that SB125 suspends repeal of agency rules adopted during the covered review period except for those the committee elected not to extend. Baus said the draft reflects the committee’s decisions on rules the committee previously chose not to extend and explained that the bill covers the rule‑review cycle listed in the committee materials.

The committee adopted two catch‑up amendments, L‑1 and L‑2, by unanimous voice (no objection): L‑1 incorporates the nursing‑rule non‑extension and L‑2 incorporates the PROPWA‑rule non‑extension into the bill text. Senator Frizzell moved SB125, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation; the committee recorded aye votes from Representative Camacho, Senator Carson, Senator Frizzell, Senator Gonzales, Representative Joseph, Representative Mabry and the chair; Representative Luck, Senator Roberts and the vice chair were recorded excused. The motion passed and the chair noted that, because the vote was unanimous among present voting members, the committee could designate SB125 for the consent calendar; the committee raised no objection and SB125 was placed on the consent calendar.

Jake Baus said the bill lists specific agency rules to be preserved and carves out exemptions for those rules the committee chose not to extend earlier in the review cycle. The committee closed its printed business and scheduled its next meeting for April 9 in the House committee room.