House passes administrative rules reform measure; OCPA, AFP-OK praise

House Passes REINS Act

Second House priority bill passes House title-on in first three weeks of session

OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 20th) – The Oklahoma House of Representatives today passed House Bill 2728, a measure designed to enhance transparency and legislative oversight in the state’s administrative rulemaking process.

House Bill 2728, authored by Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, R-Altus, creates the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025, modeled after similar federal legislation. The bill ensures that state agency regulations receive greater legislative review before taking effect.

"This is a major step toward ensuring the people’s elected representatives—not unelected agencies—have the final say on costly regulations," said Kendrix. "State agencies hold significant power in implementing laws, and this bill makes sure the Legislature plays a more active role in the process."

If enacted, HB2728 would require all proposed agency rules to be submitted with an economic impact statement. Additionally, any rule projected to cost at least $1 million over five years would require separate legislative approval before it could take effect.

"The rise of decentralized movements like DOGE shows that people value transparency, accountability, and freedom from unchecked control," said John Tidwell, state director with Americans for Prosperity Oklahoma. "The REINS Act embodies these same principles by ensuring that unelected bureaucrats can't impose costly regulations without legislative approval. State and federal governments must remain accountable to the people they serve. By passing the REINS Act, Oklahoma is reinforcing the fundamental idea that power should rest with the representatives elected by the people—not with runaway regulatory agencies."

The bill establishes the Legislative Economic Analysis Unit (LEAU) within the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) to provide independent reviews of agencies' economic impact statements. This ensures accuracy and prevents unnecessary regulatory burdens. Similar models in other states have successfully cut excess red tape and saved taxpayers millions.

"This legislation strengthens accountability by making sure agency rules receive independent review before becoming law," said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. "This is the second House priority bill we have passed in the first three weeks of the legislative session and I appreciate the speed at which the House has passed these important bills."

House Bill 2728 passed 86-3 and now advances to the Oklahoma Senate for further consideration. The House also passed House Bill 1276, banning cell phones in schools, and sent it to the Senate with the title on, meaning it is ready to become law if approved by the Senate.

OCPA praises House passage of REINS Act

OKLAHOMA CITY (February 20, 2025)—Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs President Jonathan Small issued the following statement after members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives approved House Bill 2728, which creates the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2025.

“Despite the strong conservative leanings of Oklahoma voters, our state has become one of the most heavily regulated in the country because of a flawed process that allows state agency bureaucrats to impose numerous regulations that have the same basic impact as new state laws,” Small said. “HB 2728 will protect Oklahomans from an out-of-control bureaucracy by requiring proactive approval from the Legislature for all major regulations to take effect. Those leading the charge in this fight – state Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, state Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert and Senate Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton – deserve praise for tackling this crucial issue.”

House Bill 2728, by Kendrix, would create a Legislative Economic Analysis Unit (LEAU) within the existing Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) to independently review and assess the economic impact of major rules proposed by state agencies.

The legislation defines “major rule” to include any agency rule with an economic impact of $1 million or greater over a five-year period.

Under HB 2728, a major rule with an impact of $1 million or more cannot take effect unless it is explicitly approved by both chambers of the Legislature.

That’s in stark contrast to current law, which allows state agency rules to automatically take effect unless specifically rejected by the Legislature or governor.

According to the 2024 edition of “Snapshots of State Regulations,” issued by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Oklahoma is the 17th-most regulated state in the country with 142,313 regulations on the books. In comparison, Idaho, the nation’s least-regulated state, has just 31,497 regulations in place.

House Bill 2728 passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives on a bipartisan 86-3 vote.

The Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs promotes the flourishing of the people of Oklahoma by advancing principles and policies that support free enterprise, limited government, personal responsibility, individual initiative, and strong families.

AFP-OK Cheers Passage of House REINS Bill

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (Feb. 20th) - Americans for Prosperity-Oklahoma (AFP-OK) today applauded the state House of Representatives for passing REINS (Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny) legislation that will restore accountability in the bureaucracy. 

This legislation (H.B. 2728) will ensure that burdensome regulations proposed by state agencies will have legislative oversight before taking effect, protecting taxpayers from the unchecked growth of government. 

AFP-OK applauds the state legislature for taking this bold step to rein in government overreach and looks forward to working with the Senate on restoring balance in our government.

John Tidwell, AFP-OK State Director, gave the following statement: 

"Ensuring that regulatory power remains in the hands of those directly accountable to the people is a fundamental principle of good governance. We commend Speaker Kyle Hilbert, Rep. Gerrid Kendrix, the bill’s sponsors, and all House members who stood up for transparency and the rights of Oklahomans.

"By enacting the REINS Act, Oklahoma will join the growing number of states prioritizing economic freedom, limiting government overreach, and creating a more predictable environment for businesses to thrive."