Representative Karen Hurd (R-Withee) was appointed by Assembly Speaker Robin Vos to serve on the Speaker’s Task Force on Rulemaking.
“In a sweeping ruling this summer in Evers v. Marklein II, the liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court upended much of the Legislature’s oversight of the administrative rulemaking process,” said Rep. Hurd. “Since this ruling, unelected bureaucrats in the Evers-Rodriguez administration have hit the gas pedal on implementing policy through the rulemaking process, such as massive fee increases on the livestock industry that will hurt Wisconsin farmers.”
The Speaker’s Task Force on Rulemaking is charged with identifying agency rulemaking authority to be repealed by legislation and identifying agencies that have broad rulemaking authority. This includes, but is not limited to, environmental regulations, building code regulations, and fee-setting authority.
“Once implemented, administrative rules have the force of law,” said Rep. Hurd. “When rules go beyond legislative intent, this amounts to legislating through executive fiat. This is wrong, no matter who is governor, or which party controls the Legislature. To restore balance between two co-equal branches of government, the Legislature needs to rein in the administrative rulemaking bureaucracy. I look forward to working with Chairman Brent Jacobson and other task force members on this important work.”