SB-885 • 2026

Restoring Accountability Act: major regulations.

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Strickland
Last action: 2026-04-14
Official status: April 14 set for first hearing. Failed passage in committee. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) Reconsideration granted.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass, so its specific enforcement mechanisms are unknown.

Restoring Accountability Act: Major Regulations

This act sets new rules for how California state agencies can make significant regulatory changes that affect businesses and individuals, requiring additional steps before such regulations can be adopted.

What This Bill Does

Requires state agencies to prepare a detailed economic impact analysis before adopting major regulations.
Necessitates state agencies to submit proposals recommending legislation to the Legislature for permission to adopt major regulations.
Limits emergency regulations that are considered major to no more than 180 days unless they meet specific criteria and receive further approval.

Who It Names or Affects

California state agencies
Businesses and individuals affected by major regulations

Terms To Know

Major Regulation: A regulation that will have an economic impact on California businesses or individuals of more than $50 million.
Emergency Regulation: A temporary rule adopted by a state agency to address urgent situations, which usually cannot stay in place for longer than 180 days without further approval.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass the committee and was reconsidered but failed again.
It is unclear how this act will be enforced or what penalties might apply if agencies do not follow these new rules.

Bill History

2026-04-14 California Legislative Information
April 14 set for first hearing. Failed passage in committee. (Ayes 4. Noes 1.) Reconsideration granted.
2026-04-07 California Legislative Information
From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on G.O.
2026-03-26 California Legislative Information
Set for hearing April 14.
2026-02-11 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on G.O.
2026-01-14 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be acted upon on or after February 13.
2026-01-13 California Legislative Information
Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Official Summary Text

SB 885, as amended, Strickland.
Major
Restoring Accountability Act: major
regulations.
Existing law, known as the Administrative Procedure Act, governs the procedures for the adoption, amendment, or repeal of regulations by state agencies and for the review of those regulatory actions by the Office of Administrative Law. Existing law requires a state agency proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal an administrative regulation to, among other things, assess the potential for adverse economic impact on California business enterprises and individuals, and requires a state agency proposing to adopt, amend, or repeal a major regulation on or after November 1, 2013, to prepare and submit to the Department of Finance for comment, a standardized regulatory impact analysis, as provided. Existing law defines “major regulation” for purposes of the act to mean any proposed adoption, amendment, or repeal of a regulation subject to review by the office that will have an economic impact on
California business enterprises and individuals in an amount exceeding $50,000,000, as provided.
Existing law establishes procedures for the adoption of emergency regulations, including requiring that the state agency make a finding that the adoption of a regulation or order of repeal is necessary to address an emergency, as defined. Under existing law, a regulation, amendment, or order of repeal adopted as an emergency regulatory action may only remain in effect for up to 180 days, unless the adopting agency complies with specified requirements.
This
bill
bill,
the Restoring Accountability Act
,
would prohibit a state agency from taking final action to adopt a major regulation until certain requirements are met, including that after the state agency prepares a standardized regulatory impact analysis and submits the analysis to the Department of Finance, as described above, the state agency submits a proposal to the Legislature recommending legislation to authorize the adoption of the major regulation and the Legislature enacts a law expressly authorizing the state agency to adopt that major regulation. The bill, notwithstanding that prohibition, would authorize a state agency to adopt an emergency regulation that is a major regulation if the state agency complies with specified requirements governing the adoption of emergency regulations. The bill would prohibit the emergency regulation from being in effect more than 180 days, except that the state agency may twice readopt an emergency regulation that is the same or substantially equivalent to the emergency regulation previously adopted
for a period not to exceed 90 days, if the state agency prepares a standardized regulatory impact analysis and submits the analysis to the Department of Finance for comment, as described above, and the state agency submits a proposal to the Legislature recommending legislation to authorize the adoption of the major regulation.

Current Bill Text

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