Bill ensuring more accountability in public policy rules heads to full Senate

State Senators Nathan Dahm and Anthony Sykes said a bill ensuring legislative input on state agency rules will create greater accountability when determining policies impacting the lives of Oklahomans. Senate Bill 1130 clarifies Oklahoma law to ensure the Legislature’s authority to approve, amend or disapprove agency rules.

Dahm, principal author of SB 1130, said the measure was approved by the full Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

“Up until the administration of President Woodrow Wilson, our elected representatives in Washington, D.C. had the ability to change federal agency rules when needed. Ever since then, the federal bureaucrats, who don’t have to answer to the public for their actions, have had control over public policy issues that impact the lives of private citizens and businesses in countless ways, and we know it’s often a negative impact,” said Dahm, R-Broken Arrow. “We want to ensure that at the state level, it is those who are directly accountable to the people who have the final say and have the oversight ability to protect people and businesses from excessive agency rules.”

Language contained in SB 1130 would codify the Legislature’s right to amend any rules as they proceed through the legislative review process and establish new agency rules directly through enactment of a joint resolution.

“When bureaucracies adopt rules that run contrary to the will of Oklahoma citizens, people get trampled. It is impossible to hold a bureaucrat accountable,” said Sykes, R-Moore. “But I’m living proof that you can hold an incumbent accountable. This measure ensures greater accountability to the public in the policy decisions that affect their lives.”

SB 1130 will next be considered by the full Senate.