New Jersey Assembly Bill A2919

New Jersey 2022-2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/28/22
• Refer: 2/28/22

Caption

Requires State agencies to periodically review administrative rules and regulations to ensure continued efficacy.

Impact

The bill is significant as it addresses the need for systematic reviews of regulatory frameworks that have been implemented across the state. By establishing a formalized review process, A2919 aims to eliminate outdated or ineffective regulations while ensuring that new ones are necessary and beneficial. The expectations placed upon state agencies to conduct these evaluations and report their findings to the Governor, Legislature, and the public facilitates greater accountability in governance and may lead to enhanced efficiency within the state's regulatory landscape.

Summary

Assembly Bill A2919 requires New Jersey state agencies to periodically review their administrative rules and regulations to evaluate their ongoing efficacy. The review is mandated to occur every seven years, coinciding with the existing expiration timeline for rules established in previous legislation. This is intended to ensure that the benefits these rules provide continue to outweigh their associated costs and burdens. Additionally, any proposed administrative rules will now require a regulatory impact analysis before being implemented, adding a layer of scrutiny intended to gauge the implications of new regulations on public interests and costs.

Contention

Some concerns have been raised regarding the potential for this bill to impose additional regulatory burdens on state agencies. Critics argue that the mandatory reviews could lead to delays in implementing necessary regulations while agencies spend significant time evaluating and reporting on existing rules. Additionally, there are apprehensions about the depth and thoroughness of the required evaluations, particularly whether the resources allocated to these reviews will suffice to create meaningful assessments that influence policy effectively. The bill’s requirement for more documentation and reporting could also lead to operational inefficiencies if not managed correctly.