An Act To Ensure Proper Adoption of Rules by All Departments, Agencies and Boards

CONCEPT DRAFT SUMMARY

This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.

This bill proposes to prohibit rule-making authority for rules having the force of law when the provisions of those rules are not enacted by the Legislature or are otherwise inconsistent with the legislative powers enumerated in the Constitution of Maine, Article IV.

As proposed in this bill, departments, agencies, boards, commissions and quasi-governmental entities may establish rules only for the purposes of performing the duties charged to them; any rules outside the scope of this authority must be submitted to the Legislature within one year of the effective date of this bill for enactment into law by the Legislature. Any such rules not enacted by the Legislature within 2 years of the effective date of this bill are considered void and without force of law.