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Committee advances bill to continue codification and allow technical rule corrections
Summary
HB 1216 extends the codification deadline for the state's regulatory code, creates an online searchable database, and authorizes staff to make respectful-language and formatting corrections for rules and forms; committee approved by voice vote after questioning about transparency and oversight.
Representative Jim Dodson presented HB 1216 to continue the Bureau of Legislative Research’s codification of state rules and to extend the completion date to Jan. 1, 2024. Dodson said the project covers more than 1,000 rules and roughly 45,000 pages and noted COVID slowed the work.
Marty Garrity of the Bureau of Legislative Research described the bill’s main provisions: permitting staff to change language in rules to use "respectful language" consistent with legislative terminology; exempting title pages, tables of contents and indexes from the Administrative Procedures Act definition of a rule; clarifying that forms are not rules unless they derive language from law; and authorizing staff to make technical corrections (such as updating contact names, phone numbers or email addresses) so agencies need not repromulgate rules for clerical updates.
Senator Ballenger, who sits on the Code Revision Commission, voiced support but raised concerns about public transparency because staff edits can be perceived as substantive. Marty Garrity responded that appeals can go to legislative counsel for a final determination and invited additional process safeguards.
Representative Dodson closed and the committee passed HB 1216 by voice vote.
The bill affects administrative procedure and the state’s code-of-rules project; committee discussion centered on balancing efficient technical corrections with public oversight.
