Sen. Tony Strickland’s Attempt to Restore Accountability to California’s Regulatory Agencies

Senator Tony Strickland (R–Huntington Beach) has introduced Senate Bill 885, titled the Restoring Accountability Act. The measure is designed to restore accountability, transparency, and oversight to California’s regulatory process by returning final authority over major regulations to the California State Legislature.

“Californians deserve to know who is responsible when major regulations raise costs, eliminate jobs, or disrupt entire industries,” said Senator Strickland. “For too long, unaccountable boards and commissions have held too much power, allowing elected officials to dodge making tough votes, while imposing sweeping regulations with massive economic consequences for working families.”

Senator Strickland’s legislation emanates from a stunning confession by former chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board Liane Randolph, who told lawmakers during an energy oversight hearing in May 2025 that the CARB does not analyze or calculate the costs of CARB’s many “clean air” climate change regulations to California residents.

“As an elected official, I answer directly to the people, but that’s not the case for these political appointees,” Strickland said. “My legislation puts accountability back where it belongs: with the legislators who are elected by, and answer to, the people of California.”

The Globe has been critical of the California Air Resources Board for many years for not adequately analyzing and publishing the cost impacts of its clean air regulations on residents throughout the state. This lack of analysis raises concerns about how these rules may affect everyday expenses for Californians.

Last year, the Globe reported one example:

The California Governor, Legislature and State Air Resources Board are working hand in glove to restrict the availability of oil and gas and increase the cost of gas at the pump so severely, middle class and working class drivers will be making choices between groceries and fuel for the car.

The California Air Resources Board is mandating an additional 50 cents per gallon be added to the price of gas in California. This is all part of the goal to force California’s drivers out of their cars, and/or into electric vehicles. But ultimately, the Democrats’ goal is to ban petroleum-powered internal combustion engines by 2035 and gas-powered vehicles.

It is important to note that all tax increases are required to be voted on by the California Legislature. But the CARB – a state agency made up of political appointees – has been bypassing the Legislature for years and passing their own “clean air” and “climate change” taxes – obviously with the implicit approval of the Legislature.

Sen. Strickland says under current law, state regulators such as the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission are granted broad authority to adopt regulations to implement legislative policy.

The Globe notes that California’s Democrat Supermajority Legislature not only abdicated its authority to legally hold state regulators accountable, they also look the other way when regulators illegally create taxes on the state’s residents, as reported above. That way the tax increases aren’t blamed on elected lawmakers up for reelection.

Sen. Strickland explains:

SB 885 would change that law with two simple, key reforms:

• First, the bill would stop state agencies and unelected boards from independently adopting major regulations that cost $50 million or more. Instead, after completing the existing regulatory process, agencies would send their proposals to the Legislature.
• Second, lawmakers would vote to approve, change, or reject those proposals, just like any other bill, ensuring public debate and accountability.

“SB 885 doesn’t stop regulation. It stops unaccountable regulation. When a rule costs Californians tens of millions of dollars, elected lawmakers should be the ones accountable for making that call,” added Senator Strickland.

SB 885 would not weaken consumer or environmental protections. Instead, it would strengthen public trust by ensuring that decisions with multi-million-dollar consequences are made by officials who are held responsible by the voters.

The bill preserves flexibility for urgent circumstances by allowing the state regulators to adopt emergency regulations for up to 180 days, with the option to re-adopt them up to an additional 180 days, provided the proposal is submitted to the Legislature during that period.