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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill addresses state agency review of federal regulations.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ defines terms;
13 ▸ requires certain state agencies to identify federal regulations impacted by the
14 judicial doctrine of Chevron deference;
15 ▸ requires certain state agencies to report all federal regulations impacted by Chevron
16 deference to the Office of the Attorney General; and
17 ▸ addresses a potential United States Supreme Court decision overturning the judicial
18 doctrine of Chevron deference and the bringing of litigation by the attorney general
19 in regard to federal regulations impacted by Chevron deference.
20 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
21 None
22 Other Special Clauses:
23 None
24 Utah Code Sections Affected:
25 ENACTS:
26 63C-4a-406, Utah Code Annotated 1953
27 REPEALS:
28 63C-4a-401, as enacted by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 101
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30 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
31 Section 1. Section 63C-4a-406 is enacted to read:
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33 63C-4a-406. Challenges to federal regulations -- Chevron deference.
34 (1) As used in this part:
35 (a) "Chevron deference" means deference given to a federal agency's interpretation of a
36 federal statute by a court because the court determined that:
37 (i) the federal statute is ambiguous; and
38 (ii) the federal agency's interpretation is based on a reasonable interpretation of the
39 statute.
40 (b) "Federal agency" means an agency, bureau, board, commission, council,
41 department, office, or other instrumentality of the executive branch of the United States
42 government.
43 (c) "Federal regulation" means a regulation adopted by a federal agency and published
44 in the Code of Federal Regulations or the Federal Register.
45 (d) "State agency" means:
46 (i) the Department of Environmental Quality;
47 (ii) the Department of Agriculture and Food; and
48 (iii) the Department of Natural Resources.
49 (2) On or before January 1, 2025, each state agency shall:
50 (a) identify any federal regulation impacting that state agency for which:
51 (i) a federal agency issued the federal regulation to implement a federal statute; and
52 (ii) the federal agency received Chevron deference in the agency's interpretation of the
53 federal statute; and
54 (b) report any federal regulation identified under Subsection (2)(a) to the Office of the
55 Attorney General.
56 (3) The attorney general may file suit on behalf of the state challenging any federal
57 regulation impacted by Chevron deference if:
58 (a) before July 1, 2025, the United States Supreme Court:
59 (i) holds that a court may not give Chevron deference to a federal agency's
60 interpretation of a federal statute; or
61 (ii) limits the deference that a court may give a federal agency's interpretation of a
62 federal statute; and
63 (b) the attorney general determines that the state can successfully challenge the federal
64 regulation.
65 (4) On or before July 1, 2025, the attorney general shall report to the Federalism
66 Commission regarding any suit that the attorney general files, or intends to file, on behalf of the
67 state under Subsection (3).
68 Section 2. Repealer.
69 This bill repeals:
70 Section 63C-4a-401, Title.
71 Section 3. Effective date.
72 This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.