Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes an agency's regulatory compliance officer to create guidelines for waiving fines or penalties that the officer's agency would be authorized to impose on a regulated entity for a violation of a statute or regulation that the agency enforces if the entity reports a violation to the regulatory compliance officer before a fine or penalty is imposed on the entity.

Highlights:

• Specifies that state agencies shall have the following powers and duties, including, but not limited to (Sec. 3):

• Designating an employee as the agency’s regulatory compliance officer;

• Empowering the compliance officer to develop the following agency policies and initiatives to further the purpose of this act, including, but not limited to:

• Educating the regulated community regarding the implementation of new or amended statutes and regulations;

• Working with regulated communities to resolve noncompliance issues before imposing penalties; or

• Providing detailed explanation of each regulatory requirement under the agency’s jurisdiction, including expectations for compliance;

• Empowering the regulatory compliance officer to establish guidelines for waiving any fines or penalties that the officer’s agency is authorized to impose;

• Empowering the regulatory compliance officer to deliver an opinion within 20 days of a request being made; and

• Establishing clear channels of communication through which businesses seeking to become members of regulated communities can contact the agency;

• Requires each state agency to by January 31 of each year submit a report to the General Assembly detailing the following information, including (Sec. 5):

• The progress made by the agency and regulatory compliance officer in the previous calendar year towards compliance with this act;

• The number of regulatory communities served; and

• The type of regulated communities served.

• Establishes this act shall take effect 60 days after its passage (Sec. 6).

Full Bill Text