H162 Summary

• Authorizes agencies to make technical corrections to rules (reletting, renumbering, updating citations, contact information, and correcting typographical errors) without publishing notice or holding hearings, with changes reported to the Codifier of Rules.

• Clarifies that parties in administrative disputes are not required to petition for rule making or seek declaratory rulings before commencing contested cases or obtaining judicial review.

• Simplifies the periodic rule review process by eliminating the distinction between "necessary with substantive public interest" and "necessary without substantive public interest" rules, replacing it with a simpler "necessary" or "unnecessary" determination.

• Prohibits agencies from adopting permanent rules with projected aggregate financial costs of $100 million or more over any five-year period, and requires 60% approval or certification by appropriate state officials for rules costing $10 million or more.

• Requires federal government regulations incorporated by reference to be reviewed and approved by the agency within 120 days of any changes, and allows environmental rules exceeding federal requirements only in cases of serious, unforeseen threats with legislative review provisions.