Indiana District 44 Sen. Eric Koch, R-Bedford, will serve as a member of the Government Reform Task Force in preparation for the 2024 legislative session.

Created by House Enrolled Act 1623, which Koch sponsored during this year’s legislative session, the task force will review state agencies’ external policies and standards and their level of transparency with the public.

Approximately 115 agencies, boards and commissions have rulemaking authority, with the rules serving as binding regulations on Hoosiers. Fifty-nine of those entities have emergency rulemaking authority that had little-to-no oversight or public input before HEA 1623 was implemented, which greatly impacts how and whether Hoosiers are fined and civilly penalized.

The task force follows the Administrative Rules Task Force, of which Koch was a member during the 2022 interim and created through Senate Enrolled Act 264 during the 2022 legislative session. SEA 264 studied the administrative rules, fees and fines of state agencies under the governor’s office.

The Administrative Rules Task Force revealed necessary improvements to simplify agencies’ rulemaking process, increase transparency and the public’s involvement in state agencies’ rulemaking processes, and improve oversight of agencies including their standards for setting fines and civil penalties.

HEA 1623 worked to address these insights. The Government Reform Task Force will review the legislation’s impact and further study agencies’ policies and standards to ensure they are being held accountable for how they serve Indiana and are being collaborative and transparent with the public on all rules and standards.

Legislators will meet over the summer and fall months to discuss topics approved by the bipartisan Legislative Council, which is comprised of 16 voting members – eight from the Senate and eight from the House of Representatives.

To view study committee agendas and stream hearings online, visit iga.in.gov.

Koch may be reached via email at [email protected] or by phone at 800-382-9467.