LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Jim Runestad on Tuesday announced his legislation to reform the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR), a critical legislative body that serves as a last line of defense against unchecked bureaucratic rulemaking.

“No law should take effect in Michigan without legislative oversight,” said Runestad, R-White Lake. “By giving every member of JCAR the power to demand a hearing, we are restoring accountability, transparency and balance to the rulemaking process. Too many rules have quietly become law without proper review. That would end with this bill.”

Currently, if JCAR fails to act on a ruleset proposed by a department or agency, it automatically takes effect after a set number of legislative session days — whether lawmakers have reviewed it or not.

“This loophole has allowed major regulations with the force of law to bypass legislative scrutiny, sometimes with serious and costly consequences for citizens and businesses alike,” Runestad said. “My new legislation would ensure accountability by allowing any JCAR committee member — not just the chair — to call for a hearing on a proposed ruleset. This will ensure important regulatory decisions don’t simply slip through unexamined.”

Most notably, the senator said Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has used the JCAR process over the last two years in attempts to implement controversial changes and rewrite election law.

Runestad said Senate Bill 606 is one step in his broader effort to strengthen legislative oversight of the administrative state and ensure Michigan’s rulemaking process is both rigorous and democratic.