Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday signed Senate Bill 14, establishing the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office with a projected budget of $22.8 million over the next five years.
The first bill to be signed into law this session, referred to by the Office of the Governor (OOG) as Texas DOGE, will grant the new office the power to cut regulations, advise agencies on establishing stricter regulations and reduce department spending by reducing state-mandated training requirements.
The office is also expected to coordinate with the Department of Information Resources (DIR) to improve public access to regulatory information, which will involve the creation of a public-facing interactive website. DIR estimates the cost of the web application’s development to be $1.1 million, with a recurring annual maintenance cost of $654,000.
The regulatory office will operate under the jurisdiction of the OOG, with an advisory panel of members appointed by the governor to serve the office as needed. The panel will be supported by at least 18 full-time employees.
The law also removes requirements for Texas courts to defer to state agencies’ legal interpretations of state law in legal challenges of regulations.
The new office is not to be confused with the state’s Sunset Advisory Commission, which similarly reviews and evaluates state agency performance. It is also separate from the Delivery of Government Efficiency Committee, a legislative committee with a similar goal of eliminating inefficiencies established earlier this year.
Gov. Abbott Signs Texas DOGE Into Law
With a projected budget of $22.8 million, the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office will operate under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Governor.
