April 24, 2019      4:49 PM

After Supreme Court ruling on state agencies that oversee industries, Texas on track to consolidate certain rulemaking authority in Office of the Governor

Even some Republicans worry this would create a “super-regulator”; Sen. Birdwell says crafting the legislation was not like “flippantly” choosing the governor’s office “with a blindfold and a dart board”

Over the years, Texas governors have worked diligently to consolidate power in the office that’s constitutionally constructed as “weak.” Former Gov. Rick Perry’s longevity alone gave him what many saw as unprecedented sway over boards and commissions. Gov. Greg Abbott has sought more power in multiple ways, including his creative use of the line-item veto in 2015 when he did things like strike a single word in a sentence, in some cases reversing legislative intent in the budget.

Now, in the wake of a United States Supreme Court ruling on state agencies, the Texas Senate has voted to consolidate certain rulemaking authority in Gov. Abbott’s office when it comes to boards and commissions that include members who are participants in the industries they oversee. There are 38 of those in this state.

What’s the exact reason this is being done? Well, legal and political observers call the situation “fascinating.”

By Scott Braddock

Copyright April 24, 2019, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved