Administrative procedures.

Existing law governs the procedure 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, including procedures relating to increased public participation in the adoption, amendment, and repeal of these regulations. Existing law specifically requires a state agency proposing to adopt regulations, prior to publication of a notice of proposed adoption, amendment, or repeal of a regulation, to involve parties who would be subject to the proposed regulations in public discussions regarding those proposed regulations, when the proposed regulations involve complex proposals or a large number of proposals that cannot easily be reviewed during the comment period. Existing law requires the office to provide for the publication of the California Regulatory Notice Register and to include specified information in the register, including notices of proposed action prepared by regulatory agencies, a summary of regulations filed with the Secretary of State, and a summary of regulation decisions issued, as specified. This bill would require the office to allow electronic submission to the office by a state agency of notices required to be published and information required to be submitted pursuant to specified provisions of existing law. The bill would also expand the public discussion requirement described above to require a state agency proposing to adopt regulations, prior to publication of a notice of proposed adoption, amendment, or repeal of a regulation, to involve parties that would be subject to the proposed regulations in public discussions regarding those proposed regulations, without regard to the complexity or number of proposals. Existing law authorizes an agency that is considering adopting, amending, or repealing a regulation to consult with interested persons before initiating regulatory action. This bill would instead require such an agency to make a reasonable effort to consult with interested persons who would be subject to the proposed regulation, or their representatives, prior to initiating regulatory action, as provided.