Bill > AB1232

This bill amends the Administrative Procedure Act to require state agencies to consider and analyze the cost of living impacts on California residents when proposing new regulations. Specifically, the bill requires agencies to assess how proposed regulations might affect the cost of essential consumer needs like housing, transportation, food, taxes, and healthcare, both immediately and in the foreseeable future. For both major and non-major regulations, agencies must now include an analysis of how the proposed regulation could impact the cost of living for state residents. The Office of Administrative Law (OAL) will be given new responsibilities, including developing a standardized cost of living methodology, conducting independent analyses of economic impacts, and having the power to return regulations that are found to have significant cost of living consequences. For major regulations, the review period is extended from 30 to 60 working days, and if the OAL identifies significant cost of living impacts, it can require agencies to either pursue less costly alternatives or provide a detailed explanation of why such alternatives are not feasible. The bill aims to ensure that regulatory decisions take into account their potential financial burden on California residents by adding "cost of living impacts" as a new standard for reviewing proposed regulations.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB1232