Alaska State Legislature
News from the House Majority

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

House Passes Kinder, Gentler Regulation and Rule Making

Bill Aims to Get those Affected by Regulations Involved Early in the Process

For Immediate Release: April 3, 1998 Contact: Rep. Jeannette James at (907) 465-3743.

Juneau – The Alaska House of Representatives Thursday passed 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 approval vote was 27-6.

"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 the bill's sponsor, Representative Jeannette James (R-North Pole). "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," James said.

Currently, Negotiated Regulation/Rule Making is used by the Federal Government and by the states of Montana, Nebraska, and several other states.. The Negotiated Regulation/Rule making process has proven to involve somewhat higher regulatory costs at the beginning of the process in other jurisdictions which have used it. But 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.

"This is 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," James said. "Also, this is going to be a voluntary process, but one which should be useful in a variety of circumstances," James said..

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Broadcasters note: Actualities from Rep. James are available at 1-800-478-6540.
= Jeannette James, 32 K