Corey urges ban on agency and judicial bill introductions to protect separation of powers

Senator Claire Corey, the prime sponsor of Senate Bill 22-15, told the committee she introduced the bill to protect the Legislature’s role in drafting law and to ensure constituents’ voices remain central to policymaking.

"This encroachment threatens to undermine the authority of this chamber and the elected representatives we have entrusted to make laws," Corey said, framing the proposal as a principle-based protection of democratic structure. She said the bill was not intended to prevent agencies from providing expertise but to reserve the formal right of introduction to elected representatives or interim committees.

Randy Christman, testifying on his own behalf as chair of the Public Service Commission, said the PSC is neutral and provided historical context: in the mid‑1990s governors had urged agencies to obtain legislative sponsors, and later the legislature encouraged agencies to prefile proposals to balance workloads. Christman said PSC agency bills have generally passed and that the agency can usually secure a legislative sponsor when needed.

Members of the committee probed the potential operational impacts, including whether the change would slow needed technical fixes or create scheduling bottlenecks. Senator Lee and others urged caution, pointing to complexity in programs such as Medicaid and the benefit of agency technical knowledge. Senator Corey said she would accept amendments, including deadlines for agency filings, to balance efficiency with accountability.

The committee closed the hearing and recorded neutral and supportive dueling perspectives to inform any future drafting.