84R9380 RMA-D
By: Hall S.C.R. No. 23
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 to seek an amendment to the
constitution; and
WHEREAS, Passage of a regulation freedom amendment would help
restore constitutional balance by providing that whenever
one-fourth 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 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 to 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.