One of the first things Trump should do under advisement of DOGE is to sunset Federal agencies . This means that as of a certain time period their statutory authority ends . They should only survive under reauthorization by Congress and the President's signature. If not then they have no more power to make rules (aka laws that are the purview of the legislative branch) or enforce laws and rules .

The bureaucrats in these agencies think their jobs are permanent and that if they oppose the elected administration can either wait it out or effectively undermine it. This is intolerable. Nobody voted for them .

This works . Arizona has had such a rule since 1978



Established by Laws 1978, Chapter 210, Arizona's sunset laws provide a systematic process to evaluate an agency to determine if the merits of the agency justify its continuation, continuation with modification or termination.

HANDBOOK (https://www.azleg.gov/sunset_review.pdf)

The state runs 8 year reviews . The state legislature assigns an independent auditor to find inefficiencies, exposes fraud or abuse, quantifies costs imposed on constituents, and determine if there is a continued need for the agency. The agency's directors are publically called to account .

This is not a red state /blue state issue . Alabama has reviews every 4 years . So does Clueless Joe's state of Delaware .

Alabama Code § 34-25B-29 (2023) - Sunset Provision. :: 2023 Code of Alabama :: US Codes and Statutes :: US Law :: Justia (https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-34/chapter-25b/section-34-25b-29/)


Sunset Joint Committee - Delaware General Assembly (https://legis.delaware.gov/Committee/Sunset)


There is no reason why such a similar rule can't be a bipartisan law for the Federal Government without the need for an amendment .

I'm wondering how often, in states like you mentioned, these legislative processes actually result in the sun going down on an agency, or if it just becomes a rubber stamp.

Hard to quantify a total . But there is evidence that the process is used.
Senate Republicans move to upend the Arizona Commerce Authority amid questions about its spending (https://azmirror.com/2024/01/18/senate-republicans-move-to-upend-the-arizona-commerce-authority-amid-questions-about-its-spending/)
Even when not outright abolished agencies under review are often reformed.
A quick search found that Alabama routinely applied the law and reports their findings.
Alabama: sunset review of pharmacy board - Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (https://www.clearhq.org/news/alabama-sunset-review-of-pharmacy-board)

25_s_05_25S-05-Home Builders Licensure Board Sunset Report.pdf (https://qat.alison.legislature.state.al.us/files/pdf/eopa/audit_reports/25_s_05_25S-05-Home%20Builders%20Licensure%20Board%20Sunset%20Rep ort.pdf)

Alabama bill considers sunset of massage therapy board - Council on Licensure, Enforcement and Regulation (https://www.clearhq.org/news/alabama-bill-considers-sunset-of-massage-therapy-board)

And that the states with the provision at least subject their agencies to review.

Summary of Sunset Legislation – Book of the States (https://bookofthestates.org/tables/2022-3-27/)

If Congress had to do such a review and reauthorization it would take time away from their passing new laws that expand the government and costs us $$$$

And that the states with the provision at least subject their agencies to review.Not just real encouraging. Pols are far, far more likely to spend money than they are to behave responsibly. Some national means of requiring a balanced budget, at the cost of criminal penalties in necessary, is the only solution I see. I'll believe DOGE worked when I see it.