03/18/2024 01:00 PM House JUDICIARY

            HB 278-ADMIN. REGULATION REVIEW DIVISION                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
5:10:49 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR VANCE  announced that the  next order of business  would be                                                               
HOUSE  BILL  NO. 278,  "An  Act  establishing the  administrative                                                               
regulation review division."                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR VANCE opened public testimony on HB 278.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:11:15 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
ED MARTIN, representing self, testified  during the hearing on HB
.    He  recalled  when  former speaker  of  the  House,  Mike                                                               
Chenault,  did away  with the  [Administrative Regulation  Review                                                               
committee] for  lack of funding,  and expressed concern  that the                                                               
new division would  be a recreation of the former  committee.  He                                                               
sought  further  clarity on  the  division's  membership and  the                                                               
associated costs.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR VANCE closed public testimony on HB 278.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
5:14:33 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE   CARPENTER,  prime   sponsor,  provided   closing                                                               
remarks on HB  278.  He said  his intent was to  provide staff to                                                               
the legislature for the purpose  of regulatory review.  The full-                                                               
time  staff  would  be  subject   matter  experts  in  regulatory                                                               
analysis   and  reform   and  provide   recommendations  to   the                                                               
legislators who  sit on  the committee.   The new  division would                                                               
provide  continuity  from one  election  cycle  to the  next  and                                                               
abstain from the  purview of politics.  He concluded  that HB 278                                                               
was  an  attempt  to reinstate  the  legislature's  oversight  of                                                               
regulations and do so in  a manner that provides consistency from                                                               
year to year.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
5:16:59 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ALLARD  moved to  report HB  278 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no objection,  HB 278 was reported  from the                                                               
House Judiciary  Standing Committee.  She  gave Legislative Legal                                                               
Services permission  to make technical and  conforming changes as                                                               
necessary.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
5:17:32 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
The committee took an at-ease from 5:17 p.m. to 5:19 p.m.