How are Agencies Reviewed?
Staff of the Sunset Commission work extensively with each agency under review to evaluate the need for the agency, propose needed statutory or management changes, and develop legislation necessary to implement any proposed changes. Sunset staff uses specific standards set by the Legislature to evaluate each of the programs and functions of a state agency placed under Sunset review. These standards are located at 325.011 of the Government Code. The staff review of an agency typically takes from three to eight months depending on the size and complexity of the agency. Sunset staff gathers information from a broad range of sources. As a part of the review process, each agency submits a Self-Evaluation Report (SER) to the Sunset Commission. The SER identifies problems, opportunities, and issues that the agency feels should be considered in the Sunset review. Sunset staff also solicits input from interest groups and professional organizations and encourages public input and discussion of ag
