Coalition-Backed Regulatory Reform Legislation is the First Bill Signed into Law this Session

On April 23, with Gov. Greg Abbott's signature, Senate Bill (SB) 14 became the first piece of legislation enacted into Texas law this session. The bill was passed with bipartisan supermajorities in both the House and Senate. It includes a number of Coalition-endorsed reforms to modernize Texas’ regulatory system and support continued economic growth for our great state.

The Governor signed SB 14, known as the Regulatory Reform Act, at an afternoon ceremony, saying the bill "will make government more efficient and less costly" and "will ensure that Texas is operating at the speed of business." This legislation, Gov. Abbott explained, will streamline regulations, cut red tape, reduce spending, and "make it easier for... average Texans to deal with their own state government." A recording of the bill signing is available here. 

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dustin Burrows, and bill sponsors Sen. Phil King and Rep. Giovanni Capriglione attended the ceremony alongside Gov. Abbott. The Coalition applauds their leadership and is grateful to all those—legislators, Coalition partners, business owners, and everyday Texans—who were part of the effort to pass this bill.

Gov. Gregg Abbott (center) holds a bill signing ceremony for Senate Bill 14 with Speaker Dustin Burrows (left) and Lt. Gov. Patrick (right). Photo: Austin American-Statesman

As Gov. Abbott noted, Texas is the best place to live, work, and do business. But it’s also the 5th-most-regulated state in the nation. Regulatory accumulation and overly burdensome rules create barriers for workers and employers, increase costs for consumers, and hinder long-term economic growth. The Regulatory Reform Act is designed to streamline Texas’ regulatory system and ensure all rules are effective, efficient, and transparent to the public.

The Regulatory Reform Act will:

• Create a new Regulatory Efficiency Office within the Governor’s Office to support state agencies in modernizing, improving, and reducing regulations on Texans

• Create a state website to serve as a user-friendly portal for new and existing business owners, where individuals can enter the type of business they own or want to start and see all state regulations affecting that business in a single, accessible place 

• Require all rules and regulations to be written in plain language that is clear and easy to understand

• Increase transparency in the rule review process by requiring more direct notice as well as the mandatory solicitation of input from regulated entities and the public on the regulations being proposed or reviewed, and the cost and impact of such rules

• Allow a rule to be invalidated if an agency fails to properly perform the statutorily required cost-benefit and impact analyses

• Codify the standard of judicial review of state agency interpretations by providing that courts are not required to give judicial deference to agency interpretations of law or rules

This bill is poised to benefit all Texans, and the Coalition looks forward to seeing the positive difference it will make in our state.

As the session continues, the Coalition will keep advocating for HB 11, which would expand occupational licensing reciprocity agreements, and HB 12, which would improve Texas’ Sunset review process. We urge the legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, these important bills this legislative session.