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 lowers this threshold, requiring agencies to stop work on any proposed rule that is expected to pass along any implementation and compliance costs to businesses, local governmental units, and individuals. The agency must then either modify the rule to eliminate these costs, have a bill enacted to allow the rule's promulgation, or promulgate a different rule within the same calendar year that offsets the costs of the proposed rule.

Additionally, the bill mandates that agencies include an estimate of total cost savings in their economic impact analyses, expressed as a single dollar figure. It also clarifies that the estimates of costs and savings must be attributed to the proposed rule regardless of the discretion afforded to the agency in determining the rule's policies. Other amendments include changes to the assessment of independent economic impact analyses and the financial responsibilities associated with them, ensuring that costs are covered appropriately based on the accuracy of the agency's estimates.

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