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Bill Summary · HB 404

Legislative bill overview

HB 404 would establish a process requiring state agencies to periodically review and justify their adopted rules, with provisions for rules to be repealed or modified based on this review. The bill appears designed to create accountability mechanisms for administrative regulations and potentially reduce regulatory burden through systematic evaluation.

Why is this important

Regulatory review processes directly affect how government operates and the compliance burden on businesses and citizens. This bill could reshape the relationship between state agencies and their rulemaking authority, potentially accelerating rule elimination or modification, which has downstream effects on regulated industries, environmental protections, worker safety, and consumer standards.

Potential points of contention

  • Regulatory uncertainty: Systematic rule reviews could create unpredictability for businesses relying on stable regulatory frameworks, or conversely, could eliminate protections stakeholders depend on
  • Agency capacity and expertise: Questions about whether agencies have resources for comprehensive reviews and whether legislators or agencies should make final determinations about rule necessity
  • Scope of review standards: Disagreement over what criteria should trigger rule elimination—cost-benefit analysis alone may not capture public health, safety, or environmental values some consider essential

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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