84R5610 RMA-D
By: King of Parker H.C.R. No. 54
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Overreaching regulatory policies mandated by the
federal government encroach upon liberties guaranteed to United
States citizens by the First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments
enumerated in the Bill of Rights; and
WHEREAS, In 2013, the U.S. House of Representatives passed
with bipartisan support the Regulations From the Executive in Need
of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, which requires that congressional approval
be obtained prior to the execution of new major regulations; even if
enacted, however, that law is vulnerable to repeal or waiver by a
future congress or president; and
WHEREAS, States today have little recourse when the
government in Washington, D.C., oversteps its authority; the only
way to contest a federal regulation is to bring a constitutional
challenge in federal court or seek an amendment to the
constitution; and
WHEREAS, Passage of a "Regulation Freedom Amendment" would
help restore constitutional balance by providing that whenever one
quarter of the members of either the U.S. House of Representatives
or the U.S. Senate transmit to the president of the United States a
written declaration of opposition to a proposed federal regulation,
the regulation would require a majority vote of approval from both
chambers for adoption; and
WHEREAS, A "Regulation Freedom Amendment" would reestablish
the separation of powers in the regulatory process and allow the
will of the people to be voiced through their democratically
elected representatives; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to
propose and submit to the states for ratification a "Regulation
Freedom Amendment" to the U.S. Constitution; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the 84th Texas Legislature hereby request that
the legislatures of each of the several states that compose the
United States join this state in urging the U.S. Congress to propose
and submit to the states for ratification a "Regulation Freedom
Amendment" to the U.S. Constitution; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the
Senate of the United States Congress, and to all members of the
Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution
be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to
the Congress of the United States of America; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
copies of this resolution to the secretaries of state and to the
presiding officers of the legislatures of the other states as an
expression of the sentiment of the Legislature of the State of
Texas.