This bill amends the "Administrative Procedure Act" to enhance the requirements for socio-economic impact statements in the rule-making process. Specifically, it mandates that before a state agency submits a proposed rule to the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) for publication, the agency must contact a representative from the segment of the public that will be regulated by the rule. This representative will be tasked with preparing a description of the expected socio-economic impact of the proposed rule, which must then be included in the rule proposal submitted to the OAL. The agency is required to select this representative from individuals who have previously provided substantial written input on similar rule proposals.

Additionally, the bill stipulates that the OAL may charge the representative for the costs associated with printing and distributing the socio-economic impact description in the New Jersey Register. However, if an agency determines that a proposed rule would have an insignificant socio-economic impact, it is not required to include such a description, but must document its reasoning in the notice of the proposed rule. Overall, this legislation aims to ensure that the voices of those affected by regulatory changes are considered in the rule-making process, thereby promoting transparency and accountability.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 52:14B-4