H933 - Regulatory Reform Act of 2011

• Agencies must adhere to six principles when adopting rules: rules must be expressly authorized by law, reduce compliance burdens, be clearly written, avoid redundancy, be based on sound scientific/technical information, and achieve objectives cost-effectively.

• Agencies must conduct annual reviews of existing rules to identify and repeal unnecessary or unduly burdensome rules; the Office of State Budget and Management shall establish a web portal for public comments and publish annual reports on rule reform progress.

• Environmental agencies cannot adopt rules more restrictive than federal standards unless required by serious threats to public health/safety, state legislation, federal budgetary changes, federal regulations, or court orders.

• Administrative law judges now make final decisions in contested cases (eliminating the prior two-step agency review process); judicial review standards are simplified to focus on whether decisions are supported by substantial evidence.

• Environmental permits issued under surface water discharge and air quality programs shall be renewed for 10-year terms (except Title V air permits at 5 years); all state agencies must report existing rules by October 1, 2011, identifying which are federally mandated and how they compare to federal requirements.