XPost: alt.politics.economics, alt.politics.republicans, sac.politics   
   XPost: talk.politics.misc   
   From: dei@fired.com   
      
   A new bill in the California Legislature aims to regulate state regulators   
   a bit.   
      
   Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, is pushing legislation that   
   would limit the ability of state agencies and regulators to adopt   
   unilaterally major regulations that cost $50 million or more.   
      
   State regulators — the California Air Resources Board, the Department of   
   Insurance, and the Bureau of Gambling Control are just three examples of   
   the more than 200 in California — are government entities that oversee,   
   adopt or enforce rules for certain activities, professions or industries.   
      
   Senate Bill 885, the newly introduced bill from Strickland, notes state   
   law already requires state agencies to assess the potential for adverse   
   economic impacts when proposing to adopt, change or repeal a regulation   
   and submit an analysis to the Department of Finance for comment should a   
   major regulation be expected to have an impact of at least $50 million to   
   California businesses or people.   
      
   The bill would add, however, a requirement that these agencies also submit   
   a proposal to the legislature if an estimated impact is at least $50   
   million, and it would be up to lawmakers to give the final OK before the   
   new, changed or repealed regulation could go into effect.   
      
   “Californians deserve to know who is responsible when major regulations   
   raise costs, eliminate jobs or disrupt entire industries,” Strickland said   
   in a statement.   
      
   “For too long, unaccountable boards and commissions have held too much   
   power, allowing elected officials to dodge making tough votes while   
   imposing sweeping regulations with massive economic consequences for   
   working families,” he said.   
      
   Related: What Orange County legislators plan to address in 2026   
      
   Since the legislation was only recently introduced, it hasn’t been   
   discussed in a committee hearing and does not yet have a bill analysis.   
      
   But a press release from Strickland’s office said the effort stems from   
   comments Liane Randolph, then the chair of the California Air Resources   
   Board, made during a hearing in May. (Randolph retired at the end of   
   September.)   
      
   Randolph said then that the agency, known by the acronym CARB, calculates   
   impacts to health and health disparities in certain communities but not   
   the retail costs to consumers.   
      
   “Correct, we don’t analyze a retail cost,” Randolph said. “What we don’t   
   do is take the next step to extrapolate how that cost would flow through   
   to the consumer because in many instances that would be speculative.”   
      
   The remark angered lawmakers on both sides of the aisle at the time, and   
   it was quickly walked back.   
      
   Randolph was asked about that remark in an August hearing by   
   Assemblymember Laurie Davies, R-Laguna Niguel.   
      
   “We’ve always done that impact assessment,” Randolph said during that   
   hearing, the remarks captured by CalMatters’ Digital Democracy project.   
   “The conversation previously was about the question of retail prices, and   
   retail prices are difficult to anticipate. However, the overall economic   
   analysis is carefully considered in extensive economic analysis ….”   
      
   Lindsay Buckley, a spokesperson for CARB, said the agency does not comment   
   on pending legislation. However, she pushed back again on the comments   
   made in May.   
      
   “Former Chair Randolph specified and clarified again later in the hearing   
   that CARB follows the full letter of the law and develops a Standardized   
   Regulatory Impact Assessment (SRIA) for all major regulations with an   
   economic impact exceeding $50 million,” Buckley said in an email. “This   
   includes overall economic and fiscal impact assessments to ensure benefits   
   outweigh costs. In addition to the state’s weekly public tracking of gas   
   prices, costs of compliance — and benefits achieved — are transparently   
   reported as part of regular evaluation.”   
      
   Strickland, meanwhile, said it should be up to elected officials to “be   
   the ones accountable” for deciding whether a rule that costs Californians   
   tens of millions of dollars should be implemented.   
      
   “SB 885 doesn’t stop regulation. It stops unaccountable regulation,” the   
   Republican senator said.   
      
   “As an elected official, I answer directly to the people, but that’s not   
   the case for these political appointees,” he added. “My legislation puts   
   accountability back where it belongs: with the legislators who are elected   
   by, and answer to, the people of California.”   
      
   CARB, which tackles air pollution and climate change, is comprised of 12   
   members, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. That   
   group includes six who serve on local air districts, four experts in   
   fields that shape air quality rules, two public members and the chair, who   
   serves as the only full-time member. In addition, it includes two who   
   represent environmental justice efforts (one is appointed by the Assembly,   
   the other by the Senate) as well as two nonvoting members for legislative   
   oversight, one from each chamber.   
      
   In other news   
   • Sen. Bob Archuleta, a Democrat whose district includes Buena Park, is   
   behind a new bill that would strengthen California’s DUI laws,   
   particularly for repeat offenders. Archuleta’s granddaughter was killed in   
   a car accident in 2024; the driver of the other vehicle involved in the   
   accident was arrested, his blood alcohol content at 0.22%, the Apple   
   Valley Police Department said. The legal blood-alcohol level limit for   
   driving in California is .08%.   
      
   Archuleta has partnered with Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer   
   on Senate Bill 907, which, among other things, increases the punishment   
   for hit-and-runs if the driver has a prior DUI conviction within 10 years   
   and implements penalty enhancements for repeat offenders who have prior   
   felony DUI convictions upon a new felony DUI.   
      
   “We must strengthen California’s laws to better support law enforcement,   
   and most importantly, we must stand with and support the families who are   
   devastated by drunk drivers,” said Archuleta. “These are preventable   
   tragedies, and California must step up.”   
      
   Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris, D-Irvine, is a principal coauthor of   
   the legislation. The pair had partnered on legislation extending   
   California’s law requiring breathalyzers be installed in cars after DUI   
   convictions last year.   
      
   • A new bill from Assemblymember Kate Sanchez, R-Rancho Santa Margarita,   
   would allow Californians to deduct homeowners’ insurance premiums for   
   their primary residence from their state taxable income for taxable years   
   2026 through 2031.   
      
   “California has become unaffordable for too many families who are doing   
   everything right,” Sanchez said in a statement. “Between housing, gas,   
   groceries and insurance, people are being squeezed from every direction.   
   This bill is about keeping people in their homes, and making California   
   liveable again.”   
      
   https://www.ocregister.com/2026/01/26/sacramento-snapshot-california-   
   lawmaker-wants-the-legislature-to-ok-regulatory-rules-with-massive-price-   
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