Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

Jerry Ritter, House Majority Press Secretary
State Capitol
Juneau, AK 99801
ph: (907) 465-3804
web site: http://www.akrepublicans.org
Actuality line: 1-800-478-6540

Kinder Gentler Regulation and Rule Making

Getting the Public Involved Early in the Process

For Immediate Release: January 20, 1998 Contact: Rep. Jeannette James at (907) 465-4963.

JUNEAU – The House State Affairs Committee today passed-out House Bill 264, "Negotiated Regulation/Rule Making." HB 264 encourages state agencies to include those parties who would be affected by proposed rules and regulations changes early-on in the regulation-or rule-making process. The measure seeks to achieve consensus on some or all aspects of new rules and regulations before they are formally proposed.

"The idea is to get those individuals, businesses, and agencies who would be significantly impacted by proposed rules and regulations to get involved in the process before the proposals are formally published," said the bill’s sponsor, Representative Jeannette James. "Very often the people who will have to live under new rules and regulations can point-out potential problem areas much more quickly than anyone else," said James, who is also Chair of the State Affairs Committee.

In passing-out HB 264, which was has received strong bipartisan support, the State Affairs Committee noted that while this Negotiated Regulation/Rule making process has involved somewhat higher regulatory costs at the beginning of the process in other jurisdictions which have used it, the final costs are usually much lower because there is not as much time and effort spent on fixing problems later on in the process.

Currently, Negotiated Regulation/Rule Making is used by the Federal Government and the states of Montana and Nebraska.

"This is going to be a voluntary process," James said. "The committee sees it as another tool for state agencies and all Alaskans affected by their rules and regulations to do their jobs more efficiently and cost- and time-effectively."

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Broadcasters note: Actualities from Rep. James are available at 1-800-478-6540