FRANK CAGLE ON CHANGES IN TENNESSEE:

During the long years of Democratic rule, the Government Operations committees in the Legislature were boring exercises in routine housekeeping legislation. They were often stacked with some of the party’s less than stellar members, because you have to put them somewhere, and they rubber-stamped whatever the leadership wanted.

“Government Ops” under Republican rule has morphed into a very powerful operation, rivaling even the Rules Committee or Finance. The power to regulate state bureaucrats has always been there; it’s just not been exercised until now.

There has been a major revolution in the operation of state government that has occurred while everyone has been preoccupied with Bible bills, bathroom bills and other idiocy. State bureaucrats are no longer free to impose draconian regulations, increase fees or make rule changes without first getting a sign-off from the Legislature.

The House committee on Government Ops is led by state Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Newport. Faison is a rising star in the House, and he has had his committee reviewing with a view to eliminating or keeping 182 boards and commissions. He has also led the effort to get control of unelected bureaucrats imposing regulations at will. He is working in tandem with state Sen. Mike Bell, R-Riceville. New rules and regulations must now come to their committees for approval before they can be implemented. It turns the usual practice on its head. This has been met with horror by special interest groups that benefit from the status quo.

Hey, it’s not like those rules and regulations are there for the benefit of citizens.