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Senate panel grills sponsors over scope of governor's transformation omnibus, with particular concern about Commerce secretaries and regulatory independence

STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE · March 12, 2019
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Summary

Committee reviewed large transformation bills that would consolidate agencies under cabinet-level secretaries and create a Department of Commerce. Senators pressed sponsors on appointment powers, whether regulatory agencies will retain independence, confidentiality of shared IT services, and risks to self-funded agencies; no votes were taken and discussion will continue.

The Senate state agencies and governmental affairs committee spent the remainder of the session reviewing sections of the governor's transformation package that move education programs and multiple regulatory and economic-development agencies into new cabinet-level structures.

Representatives of several agencies and regulators described specific transfers and answered pointed committee questions. Charice Childers, director of the Department of Career Education, explained changes moving adult education into the division of Workforce Services and confirmed the department would continue to authorize the high-school-equivalency process. Staff and the bureau of legislative…

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