The state Assembly has approved legislation that gives the governor more oversight on administrative rules written by state agencies.
Those rules are how laws passed by the Legislature are enforced, and lawmakers are supposed to give them final approval before they go in to effect. However, state Representative Jim Ott (R-Mequon) says that often didn’t happen under Democratic control of the Legislature.
If a committee does not act, the rules take effect. As a result, Ott says it basically allowed state agencies to create their own laws without oversight from the Legislature.
The bill approved in the Assembly Wednesday would require the governor to also sign-off on those administrative rules as well, which Ott say will keep agencies from exceeding their power.
Democrats called the bill nothing short of a power grab by the Governor. State Representative Kelda Helen Roys (D-Madison) says it will delay the rule making process and result in lawmakers giving up some of their own oversight.
State Representative Fred Clark (D-Baraboo) questioned why the Governor needs the additional power, when he appoints the heads of the agencies writing the rules.
The bill passed on a 59-34 vote, with state Representative Mark Radcliffe (D-Black River Falls) the only Democrat backing the measure. It now heads to the state Senate.