By statute, the Legislative Council staff serves as the Legislature’s Administrative Rules Clearinghouse. After an agency has completed an initial draft of a proposed permanent rule, the agency submits it to the Legislative Council staff for review.

Upon receipt of a proposed administrative rule, the rule is given a Clearinghouse Rule number and is assigned to a Legislative Council attorney or analyst for review and preparation of a Clearinghouse Report containing comments about the rule. The Legislative Council staff reviews the rule for form, style, and technical adequacy.

The Legislative Council staff review may indicate whether an agency is attempting to regulate matters beyond its legal authority or whether a lack of clarity and precision in the rule language could inappropriately affect persons regulated by the rule.

A Clearinghouse Report containing the staff comments is sent to the agency and posted on the Legislature’s Administrative Rules website.

For more information on rulemaking procedures and legislative oversight, see the Legislative Council’s Information Memorandum on Administrative Rulemaking.