S.B. 232
Signed into LawRegulatory Impacts on Families
SB0232S01 (Substitute)
Regulatory Impacts on Families
Introduction
Feb 3
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Feb 6
Senate 2nd Reading
Feb 20
Senate 3rd Reading
Feb 25
House Rules
Feb 26
House Committee
Feb 27
House Floor Vote
Mar 5
Governor Signed
Mar 18
What This Bill Does
This bill requires state agencies, counties, municipalities, and local school boards to consider the impact of certain governmental actions on families.
Key Provisions
This bill:
- requires a state agency engaged in rulemaking to consider the impact a proposed rule may have on family health, stability, and formation;
- requires a state agency that reasonably expects a proposed rule to have a measurable negative impact on family health, stability, or formation to consider reasonable alternatives to reduce the impact;
- requires a county or municipal legislative body, before passing an ordinance, to consider the impact the proposed ordinance may have on family health, stability, and formation;
- specifies that a county or municipal legislative body's failure to comply with the requirement described above does not invalidate an ordinance enacted by the legislative body or create a cause of action;
- creates an exception to the family impact considerations described above for a county or municipal ordinance enacted in response to an emergency;
- requires a local school board, before adopting a policy or taking other formal action, to consider the impact the proposed rule or action may have on family health, stability, and formation; and
- makes technical and conforming changes.
Plain-Language Summary
AI-generated summary. We recommend consulting the bill text for important decisions.
Starting in May 2026, state agencies, city and county governments, and local school boards must formally consider how proposed rules, ordinances, and policies may affect family health, stability, and formation before taking action. For state agencies, this means analyzing potential family impacts as part of the standard rulemaking process and, if a rule is expected to have a measurable negative effect on families, exploring alternatives to soften that impact — though agencies are not required to adopt those alternatives. The bill also requires agencies to include a brief statement in their published rule analyses describing how they considered family impacts. While city and county governments and school boards must go through the same consideration process, the bill explicitly states that failing to do so does not invalidate an ordinance or policy, and cannot be used as the basis for a lawsuit.
S.B. 232
Signed into LawRegulatory Impacts on Families
Current version: SB0232S01 (Substitute)
Introduction
Feb 3
Senate Rules
Senate Committee
Feb 6
Senate 2nd Reading
Feb 20
Senate 3rd Reading
Feb 25
House Rules
Feb 26
House Committee
Feb 27
House Floor Vote
Mar 5
Governor Signed
Mar 18
IntroductionFeb 3
Senate Rules
Senate CommitteeFeb 6
Senate 2nd ReadingFeb 20
Senate 3rd ReadingFeb 25
House RulesFeb 26
House CommitteeFeb 27
House Floor VoteMar 5
Governor SignedMar 18
What This Bill Does
This bill requires state agencies, counties, municipalities, and local school boards to consider the impact of certain governmental actions on families.
Key Provisions
This bill:
- requires a state agency engaged in rulemaking to consider the impact a proposed rule may have on family health, stability, and formation;
- requires a state agency that reasonably expects a proposed rule to have a measurable negative impact on family health, stability, or formation to consider reasonable alternatives to reduce the impact;
- requires a county or municipal legislative body, before passing an ordinance, to consider the impact the proposed ordinance may have on family health, stability, and formation;
- specifies that a county or municipal legislative body's failure to comply with the requirement described above does not invalidate an ordinance enacted by the legislative body or create a cause of action;
- creates an exception to the family impact considerations described above for a county or municipal ordinance enacted in response to an emergency;
- requires a local school board, before adopting a policy or taking other formal action, to consider the impact the proposed rule or action may have on family health, stability, and formation; and
- makes technical and conforming changes.
Plain-Language Summary
AI-generated summary. We recommend consulting the bill text for important decisions.
Starting in May 2026, state agencies, city and county governments, and local school boards must formally consider how proposed rules, ordinances, and policies may affect family health, stability, and formation before taking action. For state agencies, this means analyzing potential family impacts as part of the standard rulemaking process and, if a rule is expected to have a measurable negative effect on families, exploring alternatives to soften that impact — though agencies are not required to adopt those alternatives. The bill also requires agencies to include a brief statement in their published rule analyses describing how they considered family impacts. While city and county governments and school boards must go through the same consideration process, the bill explicitly states that failing to do so does not invalidate an ordinance or policy, and cannot be used as the basis for a lawsuit.
Votes
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Motion: Favorable Recommendation
Documents
Floor Debates
Committee Hearings
Other Versions
Original
Subjects
Action History46
Governor Signed
Lieutenant Governor's office for filing
Senate/ to Governor
Executive Branch - Governor
Senate/ received enrolled bill from Printing
Senate Secretary
Senate/ enrolled bill to Printing
Senate Secretary
Enrolled Bill Returned to House or Senate
Senate Secretary
Last updated Mar 26, 2026, 9:45 PM