“Secret Sunset” Bill Gets an 8 on Our Access-O-Meter

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HB 58: Score=8

Sponsors: Reps. Nate Gentry (R-Bernalillo), Linda Trujillo (D-Santa Fe), Tomás Salazar (D-San Miguel) and Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Bernalillo)

Problems: The bill includes a “secret sunset” for regulations. That is, an automatic sunset for all regulations every 12 years. Our read is that literally any state regulation could undergo a significant overhaul, and no one would know it happened. It also restricts agencies that have more transparent rule-making processes from keeping those in place—and gives agencies inclined toward statutory secrecy cover.

 Unique to the bill: It appears as though state regulations could be repealed during that 12-year time period without public notice.

See all of the 2017 bills on the Access-O-Meter.

Categories: Access

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