Author Description

Sunset programs differ from state to state, with the basic concept behind the review process providing for automatic termination of a law, agency, board, commission, or program in the absence of specific legislative reauthorization. This report examines the reasons for the sunset movement; the changing goals of sunset; the status of sunset review in the states; the experiences the states have had in utilizing the sunset review process; barriers associated with conducting sunset reviews; arguments for and against sunset; the scope, procedure, and criteria of sunset laws; and the successes and failures of sunset laws.