Senate Bill 289 aims to amend existing laws regarding the economic impact analysis of proposed administrative rules in Wisconsin. Currently, agencies must halt work on proposed rules that are expected to impose $10 million or more in costs over a two-year period. The bill expands this threshold to include any anticipated implementation and compliance costs, requiring agencies to pause until they either modify the rule to eliminate costs, obtain legislative approval, or promulgate a different rule that offsets the costs. Additionally, the bill mandates that agencies provide a detailed economic impact analysis that includes both expected costs and potential savings, expressed as a single dollar figure.

The bill also introduces new provisions for the economic impact analysis process, including a requirement for agencies to assess the effectiveness of proposed rules in addressing policy issues. It specifies that cost estimates must be attributed to proposed rules regardless of the discretion afforded to agencies in policy determination. Furthermore, it outlines the financial responsibilities for independent economic impact analyses, establishing criteria for when agencies must cover the costs based on discrepancies in cost estimates. Overall, the bill seeks to enhance transparency and accountability in the rule-making process by ensuring that the economic implications of proposed rules are thoroughly evaluated and communicated.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 227.137(3)(c), 227.137, 227.137(4m)(b)2.a, 227.137(4m)(b)2.b, 227.137(4m)(c)1, 227.139(1), 227.139, 227.139(2)(b), 227.19(5)(b)3.a, 227.19, 227.19(5)(b)3.b