- Governor Abbott praised SB 14 for helping “slash regulations” and making government more efficient
- State Representative Giovanni Capriglione said the DOGE law will curtail “wasteful spending and government bloat
- The Coalition for Regulatory Efficiency and Reform, which supported SB 14, noted that Texas is the fifth most regulated state in the nation
Senate Bill 14, known as the Texas DOGE bill and the Regulatory Reform Act, was signed into law by Governor Abbott at a signing ceremony on Wednesday.
Those joining Abbott at the signing ceremony included Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, Senate Bill 14 author Senator Phil King, Senate Bill 14 House sponsor Representative Giovanni Capriglione, and representatives from the business community.
The Texas Voice has previously reported on regulatory reform efforts being considered during the current legislative session.
The key provisions of Senate Bill 14 include the creation of the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office within the Governor’s office, which would assist state agencies with eliminating and improving state regulations. The bill also creates a user-friendly website that would allow users to identify regulations applicable to a particular business, requires that administrative rules be written in plain language, and clarifies that Texas courts are “not required to give deference to a state agency’s legal determination regarding the construction, validity, or applicability of the law or a rule adopted by the state agency responsible for the rule’s administration, implementation, or other enforcement.”
“We are putting at the forefront of legislation the shaping, formation, and recalibration of government in the State of Texas to make it more responsive and more efficient,” said Governor Abbott. “We in Texas will now have our own DOGE, known as the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office. This law will slash regulations, put stricter standards on new regulations that could be costly to businesses, and put a check on the growth of the administrative state. This will make government more efficient and less costly, ensuring that Texas operates at the speed of business. I am proud of everything the Texas Senate and House were able to achieve to get this bill to my desk, which is now law.”
“The days of wasteful spending and government bloat have officially been DOGE’d. With the signing of Senate Bill 14, we are increasing government efficiency and saving taxpayers millions,” said Representative Capriglione. “I’m thankful to Senator Phil King for working with me in this effort and to Governor Abbott for his leadership. Together, we’re leading the charge in creating a smarter, leaner government.”
The Coalition for Regulatory Efficiency and Reform applauded the leaders who helped Senate Bill 14 become law.
“As Gov. Abbott noted, Texas is the best place to live, work, and do business. But it’s also the 5th-most-regulated state in the nation. Regulatory accumulation and overly burdensome rules create barriers for workers and employers, increase costs for consumers, and hinder long-term economic growth. The Regulatory Reform Act is designed to streamline Texas’ regulatory system and ensure all rules are effective, efficient, and transparent to the public,” wrote the Coalition for Regulatory Efficiency and Reform in response to the bill signing.
Senate Bill 14 passed the Texas House earlier this month by a vote of 97-51 on final passage. Republican State Representative Brian Harrison joined 50 Democrats in opposing the bill.
