Administrative regulations: reductions.

(1) The Administrative Procedure Act generally sets forth the requirements for the adoption, publication, review, and implementation of regulations by state agencies. This bill would, until December 31, 2021, enact the California Smart Regulation Act. The bill would require, on or before July 1, 2011, that a state agency determine how many regulations it imposes and, on or before December 31, 2012, to reduce the total number of regulations it has identified by 33%. The bill would require an agency to give priority to eliminating regulations that increase the regulatory burden on businesses and the business climate. The bill would also require, until December 31, 2021, that any new regulation proposed by an agency also eliminate another regulation. (2) Existing law establishes the Bureau of State Audits, which is headed by the State Auditor and has specified statutory duties. Existing law establishes the State Audit Fund which is continuously appropriated for the expenses of the State Auditor. This bill would require an agency to submit a report of the regulations eliminated or identified for elimination to the State Auditor. The bill would require the State Auditor to perform an evaluation of the identified regulations and determine, in a report submitted to the Legislature, whether the removal of the regulations will result in a positive impact on the regulatory burden on businesses and the business climate. This bill would require the Legislature to appropriate funds to the State Auditor sufficient to fulfill these duties. (3) This bill would repeal its provisions on January 1, 2022, as specified.