The bill establishes a new "Commission on Efficiency and Regulatory Review" within the Office of Administrative Law in New Jersey, which will be responsible for regularly reviewing Executive Orders and agency rules to assess their economic impacts and promote efficiency. The commission will consist of one public member appointed by the Governor and 12 ex officio members from various state departments and legislative leaders, with the chairperson having the authority to appoint additional members for diverse expertise. The commission is mandated to meet at least biannually and hold public hearings to gather stakeholder input on regulatory issues.

In addition, the bill amends the "Administrative Procedure Act" to enhance transparency and public participation in the rule-making process. It requires agencies to provide detailed socio-economic impact assessments, including cost-benefit analyses, for proposed rules and mandates public comment opportunities, with hearings if there is sufficient interest. The bill also specifies that agencies must file a statement of intent 90 days prior to formal rule proposals and clarifies that any substantive changes to proposals must logically stem from the original proposals. Furthermore, it requires the Department of Environmental Protection to submit annual reports to the Legislature regarding permit applications and issuances.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 13:1D-109, 52:14B-3, 52:14B-4, 52:14B-4.10, 52:14B-5.1