Opinion ID: 1291026
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: What is quasi-legislative power?

Text: Concerning the Legislature's intent as to agency rulemaking generally, two sections of the Government Code are illuminating (and demonstrate a desire to achieve in the California APA a much greater coverage of rules than Congress sought in the federal APA [2] ). Section 11420 states: It is the purpose of this article [art. 4 of ch. 4.5] to establish basic minimum procedural requirements for the adoption, amendment or repeal of administrative regulations. Except as provided in Section 11421, the provisions of this article are applicable to the exercise of any quasi-legislative power conferred by any statute heretofore or hereafter enacted, but nothing in this article repeals or diminishes additional requirements imposed by any such statute. The provisions of this article shall not be superseded or modified by any subsequent legislation except to the extent that such legislation shall do so expressly. Section 11371, subdivision (b) states: `Regulation' means every rule, regulation, order, or standard of general application or the amendment, supplement or revision of any such rule, regulation, order or standard adopted by any state agency to implement, interpret, or make specific the law enforced or administered by it, or to govern its procedure, except one which relates only to the internal management of the state agencies. `Regulation' does not mean or include any form prescribed by a state agency or any instructions relating to the use of the form, but this provision is not a limitation upon any requirement that a regulation be adopted pursuant to this part when one is needed to implement the law under which the form is issued. Legislative views regarding personnel board rules and the PTM are evidenced by this excerpt from the First Report of the Senate Interim Committee on Administrative Regulations to the 1955 Legislature (pp. 37-38): The authority for the adoption of regulations is found in various sections of the Civil Service Act, and the board is subject to and follows the procedure for adoption of regulations as specified in the Administrative Procedure Act. The formal regulations cover most of the facets of administrative problems in administering the personnel of the State, including employment list examinations, promotions, appointments, reinstatements, probations, performance reports, absences, vacations, sick leaves, transfers, separations, layoffs and demotions, and hearings. In addition to the formal regulations of the Personnel Board as contained in the Administrative Code, the board issues what is termed the `State Personnel Board Transactions Manual,' which is supplemented from time to time by interdepartmental communications. The contents of the manual are not filed as regulations nor are they adopted as regulations. The manual contains instructions concerning all the operations of the Personnel Board keyed to the various forms which are necessary in carrying out the work of the board. Some of the material contained in the Personnel Board Transactions Manual is regulatory in nature, although not adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. The committee recommends that the authority for the board to adopt regulations be specifically referred to the Administrative Procedure Act for the procedure to be followed, and that the board be prohibited from including regulations in manuals and enforcing such regulations unless they are first adopted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. Those two Government Code sections and that excerpt from the Senate committee report make it clear that section 525.11 and comparable rules in the PTM clearly are the product of rulemaking and, thus, do reflect an exercise of quasi-legislative power within the meaning of the California APA.