OKLAHOMA CITY – Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, has announced the Senate appointments to the newly created Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR).

Previously, Treat named Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, as co-chair of the joint committee made up of members from the Senate and the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Daniels will guide the Senate side of the panel’s work along with fellow Republican Senator Zach Taylor of Seminole. Senator Kay Floyd of Oklahoma City, the Democratic leader in the upper chamber, will also serve on the joint committee. Treat announced the appointments in a press release on Thursday (November 4). The panel’s oversight has the potential to touch virtually every area of state governance.

Treat’s Senate appointments to JCAR are:

Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, co-chair

Sen. Zack Taylor, R-Seminole, co-vice chair

Sen. Kay Floyd, D-Oklahoma City

Sen. Micheal Bergstrom, R-Adair

Sen. Michael Brooks, D-Oklahoma City

Sen. Nathan Dahm, R-Broken Arrow

Sen. Tom Dugger, R-Stillwater

Sen. John Michael Montgomery, R-Lawton

Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa

Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond

Senate Bill 913 created the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules to ensure a more transparent and thorough process before administrative rules are approved or repealed.

“The Legislature lacked an effective method to stop executive branch agencies’ encroachment on legislative authority, until now,” Treat said.“This is a monumental shift at the state Capitol and one that is long overdue. With the creation of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, the Legislature has a powerful and effective tool to protect legislative authority and stop executive branch overreach. I am confident that Senator Daniels and the other members of JCAR will be thorough and diligent in their work to review administrative rules moving forward.”

Daniels said she is working with Senate staff on preparations for the committee’s work.

“I am honored to be named by Pro Tem Treat to co-chair the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. Not only will this be an important tool to protect legislative authority and ensure the checks and balances of our system stay intact, but it will also serve to provide a transparent and open process of reviewing administrative rules before they are approved or repealed,” Daniels said in the statement sent to CapitolBeatOK.com and other news organizations.

NOTE: Pat McGuigan, founder of CapitolBeatOK.com, an independent news service based in Oklahoma City, contributed to this report.