Senate Bill 59, a proposal to require legislative review of expensive agency rulemakings under the Administrative Procedure Act, was reported favorably by the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs on April 23, 2025.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Reese, told the committee the measure is model legislation adopted in other states that would give the legislature an opportunity to review rules that carry substantial economic costs. He offered an amendment removing emergency rulemaking from the bill’s additional oversight, which the committee adopted without objection. "What this amendment does is removes from my bill any of the additional oversight in the emergency rulemaking process," Reese said, explaining that emergency rules could impede rapid action during disasters.

The committee heard supportive testimony from national and state policy groups. Alan Cambon of FGA Action said the measure "puts the legislature back in control of major policy decisions that have a fiscal impact," arguing that similar policies in Florida and Wisconsin have forced agencies to rework expensive rules. Scott Simon of Americans for Prosperity said the policy increases predictability for small businesses and that, in Florida, only a small portion of rules hit the statutory triggers. Daniel Erst Palmer, identified as CEO of the Pelican Institute for Public Policy, also spoke in support and tied the bill to efforts to streamline government.

Under the amended bill, the legislative fiscal office must determine when a proposed rule imposes an economic cost that triggers review; subject-matter committees in the House and Senate would then have the opportunity to meet separately or jointly to approve or disapprove the rule. Reese described threshold examples during committee discussion (figures mentioned in testimony included a $200,000 trigger in one year and multi‑year thresholds), but the committee record does not supply a single, definitive numeric text to quote as the enacted trigger in the statute language at this stage.

Committee members asked about effects on agency operations and whether the executive branch had concerns. Reese said consultations with the administration produced the change removing emergency rule oversight from the bill and noted a "relief valve": if a committee of jurisdiction declines to hold an oversight hearing, the governor may approve promulgation in writing with an explanation, allowing necessary rules to proceed.

The committee moved the bill forward on a motion by Senator Carter to report it favorably as amended; members indicated no objections on the record and the bill was reported out.

Votes at a glance: motion to report SB 59 favorably as amended moved by Senator Carter; outcome recorded on the transcript as reported favorably by voice/no objection. No roll-call tally was recorded in committee minutes.