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HLS 26RS-1163 ENGROSSED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 709
BY REPRESENTATIVE WRIGHT
ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE: Provides relative to the promulgation of rules
pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 49:966(D)(1)(a) and (L), to enact R.S. 49:953.1, 960, and
3 965(C), and to repeal R.S. 49:966(E)(2), relative to the Administrative Procedure
4 Act; to provide for the promulgation of rules; to provide for the automatic expiration
5 of the rules promulgated by certain agencies; to provide for a system for notification
6 of rulemakings; to establish the office of information and regulatory affairs within
7 the office of the governor; to provide for duties of the office of information and
8 regulatory affairs; to provide relative to legislative oversight; to require oversight
9 hearings; to provide relative to the validity of rules; to provide for application and
10 effectiveness; and to provide for related matters.
11 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
12 Section 1. R.S. 49:966(D)(1)(a) and (L) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
13 49:953.1, 960, and 965(C) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
14 §953.1. System for notification of rulemakings
15 A. The state register shall establish a notification system that permits users
16 to elect to receive e-mail notification of pending rulemakings by specific title,
17 division, chapter, or rule number.
18 B. The secretary of state, in coordination with the state register, shall provide
19 for businesses registered with the secretary to receive e-mail notifications of pending
20 rulemakings related to regulations the business is or will be subject to, to the extent
21 practicable.
22 * * *
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HB NO. 709
1 §960. Office of information and regulatory affairs
2 A. The Legislature of Louisiana makes the following findings:
3 (1) Executive branch agencies should promulgate rules only when required
4 by law, when necessary to interpret law, or when made necessary by compelling
5 public need.
6 (2) An efficient regulatory planning and review process is vital to ensure that
7 the state's regulatory system best serves the people of Louisiana.
8 (3) Coordinated review of agency rulemaking is necessary to ensure that
9 regulations are consistent with applicable law and the principles set forth in this
10 Section, and that the decisions made by one agency do not conflict with the policies
11 or actions taken or planned by another agency.
12 (4) The office of the governor is an appropriate agency to carry out the
13 review function.
14 B. The governor may establish in the office of the governor an office to be
15 known as the office of information and regulatory affairs.
16 C.(1) The office of information and regulatory affairs shall enhance planning
17 and coordination with respect to both new and existing rules, to restore the integrity
18 and legitimacy of regulatory review and oversight, to make the process more
19 accessible and open to the public, and to make more efficient the regulatory rules
20 promulgation process.
21 (2) The office of information and regulatory affairs may be charged with the
22 following duties:
23 (a) Identifying regulations that impose significant or unique burdens on
24 governmental entities and that appear to have outlived their justification or be
25 otherwise inconsistent with the public interest.
26 (b) Providing guidance and oversight to ensure that each agency's regulatory
27 actions are consistent with applicable law and the principles set forth in this Section
28 and do not conflict with the policies or actions of another agency.
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HB NO. 709
1 (c) Reviewing proposed rules prior to initiating promulgation for approval
2 pursuant to deadlines established by the office of information and regulatory affairs.
3 * * *
4 §965. Filing; taking effect of rules; expiration of rules
5 * * *
6 C. A rule adopted by an agency within a department with an appointed
7 secretary in accordance with R.S. 49:961 shall expire on June thirtieth of the tenth
8 year following the year of its adoption unless legislation is enacted to continue the
9 effectiveness of the rule to a certain date or indefinitely.
10 * * *
11 §966. Review of agency rules; fees
12 * * *
13 D.(1)(a) The chairman of each standing committee to which reports are
14 submitted shall appoint an oversight subcommittee, which may shall conduct
15 hearings on all rules that are proposed for adoption, amendment, or repeal and on all
16 proposed fee adoptions, increases, or decreases. Any The oversight committee
17 hearing shall be conducted after any hearing is conducted by the agency pursuant to
18 R.S. 49:961.
19 * * *
20 L. After submission of the report required by Subsection K of this Section
21 to the standing committee, a public hearing may shall be held by the committee for
22 the purpose of reviewing the report with representatives of the agency.
23 * * *
24 Section 2. R.S. 49:966(E)(2) is hereby repealed in its entirety.
25 Section 3. The provisions of this Act shall apply to rules proposed for adoption,
26 amendment, or repeal and in a notice of intent submitted on or after the effective date of this
27 Act for publication in the Louisiana Register.
28 Section 4. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
29 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
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HB NO. 709
1 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
2 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
3 effective on the day following such approval.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 709 Engrossed 2026 Regular Session Wright
Abstract: Provides for the termination of rules promulgated by agencies within a
department with an appointed secretary pursuant to the Administrative Procedure
Act; requires oversight committees to conduct hearings on proposed rules and to
review agencies' annual rulemaking reports; requires the state register to establish a
system for the notification of rulemakings and requires the secretary of state to
provide rulemaking notifications to certain businesses registered with the secretary;
and authorizes the establishment of the office of information and regulatory affairs
within the office of the governor and provides for duties of the office.
Present law, the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), establishes procedures for the
adoption of rules by executive branch agencies.
Present law provides that each rule adopted pursuant to the APA shall be effective upon its
publication in the La. Register.
Proposed law retains present law and provides that a rule adopted by an agency within a
department with an appointed secretary in accordance with nonemergency procedures shall
expire on June 30th of the 10th year following the year of its adoption unless legislation is
enacted to continue such rule to a certain date or indefinitely.
Present law provides that prior to the adoption, amendment, or repeal of any rule, the agency
shall give notice of its intended action and specifies the content of the notice. Present law
with respect to regular rulemaking, includes requirements that the agency submit a report
including the notice of intended action to the appropriate standing committee of the
legislature and the presiding officers of the respective houses on the same day the notice is
submitted to the La. Register for publication and a subsequent report that includes public
comments on the rule and any revisions of the proposed rule change since the initial report.
Further requires each agency to submit an annual report of rulemaking activities to the
appropriate oversight committee no later than 30 days prior to the beginning of each regular
session. Authorizes the committee to hold a hearing on the report for the purposes of
reviewing the report with the agency.
Present law specifies the standing committees of the legislature with oversight over rules
from specific agencies and provides for the presiding officers to determine those not
specified. Requires the chairman of each standing committee to which reports are submitted
to appoint an oversight subcommittee and authorizes the oversight subcommittee to conduct
hearings on all rules proposed for adoption, amendment, or repeal. Provides procedures and
time periods with respect thereto. Present law further specifies that a standing committee
may, at any time, exercise the powers granted to an oversight subcommittee. Further
authorizes each presiding officer to establish a select committee on oversight for his house
of the legislature that, if established, may exercise the same power and authority granted
under the provisions of present law to a standing committee or to an oversight subcommittee
of a standing committee of that house of the legislature.
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HB NO. 709
Proposed law removes present law provision that specifies that the failure of a subcommittee
to conduct a hearing or to make a determination regarding any rule proposed for adoption,
amendment, or repeal shall not affect the validity of a rule otherwise adopted in compliance
with present law.
Proposed law further requires an oversight subcommittee to conduct hearings of all rules
proposed for adoption, amendment, or repeal and additionally requires a standing committee
to hold a hearing on an agency's annual rulemaking report for the purposes of reviewing the
report with the agency.
Proposed law requires the state register to establish a notification system that permits users
to elect to receive e-mail notification of pending rulemakings by specific title, division,
chapter, or rule number. Further provides that the secretary of state, in coordination with the
state register, shall provide for businesses registered with the secretary to receive e-mail
notifications of pending rulemakings related to regulations the business is or will be subject
to, to the extent practicable.
Proposed law authorizes the governor to establish in the office of the governor an office to
be known as the office of information and regulatory affairs ("OIRA"). Provides that OIRA
shall enhance planning and coordination with respect to both new and existing rules, to
restore the integrity and legitimacy of regulatory review and oversight, to make the process
more accessible and open to the public, and to make more efficient the regulatory rules
promulgation process.
Proposed law provides that OIRA may have the following duties:
(1) Identifying regulations that impose significant or unique burdens on governmental
entities and that appear to have outlived their justification or be otherwise
inconsistent with the public interest.
(2) Providing guidance and oversight to ensure that each agency's regulatory actions are
consistent with applicable law and do not conflict with the policies or actions of
another agency.
(3) Reviewing proposed rules prior to initiating promulgation for approval pursuant to
deadlines established by OIRA.
Specifies that proposed law applies to rules proposed for adoption, amendment, or repeal and
in a notice of intent submitted before the effective date of proposed law for publication in
the La. Register.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 49:966(D)(1)(a) and (L); Adds R.S. 49:953.1, 960, and 965(C); Repeals R.S.
49:966(E)(2))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on House and
Governmental Affairs to the original bill:
1. Remove proposed law changes requiring an agency to give notice of its intention
to repeal two rules for each rule promulgated.
2. Limit the proposed law expiration of rules to apply only to rules of agencies
within a department with an appointed secretary and provide that such rules
expire after 10 years, rather than one year.
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HB NO. 709
3. Provide for a system for the notification of rulemakings.
4. Provide for the office of information and regulatory affairs within the office of
the governor.
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