Two lawmakers are considering legislation to make the state’s administrative rule making process more transparent and accountable. Rulemaking can have the force of law once approved.
Representative Gerrid Kendrix and Senator Micheal Bergstrom recently held an interim study examining the current process and what is being done to help inform the public of possible rule changes that could impact their lives.
“One of the things we’ve been working on is trying to make this process more transparent, get more people involved in it, make it more accountable not only to us as legislators but also to the public, where more people are aware of the rules process—how it works, the notification process, the public comment process,” Kendrix said during the study. “We’ve been working with the secretary of state on the portal that they have, to try to make that better for everybody involved.”
Officials with the Oklahoma Secretary of State’s Office testified during the interim study about two websites which are meant to provide information about public agencies meetings and when new rules are being considered. (openmeetings.ok.gov and rules.ok.gov)
Kendrix and Bergstrom are considering legislation which would help bolster the efforts of the Secretary of State’s Office to strengthen those websites and the information they provide.
“Oklahoma’s administrative rules process has an enormous impact on our state’s communities and businesses, so it’s essential that this process is both clear and accessible to everyone,” Bergstrom said. “By making it easier for the public to engage and stay informed, we’re taking steps toward a government that works on behalf of Oklahomans. Our goal is a process that respects public input and strengthens accountability across the board.”
