A new Texas office created to streamline state regulations and cut government red tape now has its first director.
Governor Greg Abbott on Wednesday announced the appointment of Jerome Greener, Executive Vice President of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, as the inaugural director of the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO). The office officially went into effect earlier this month.
TREO was created by Senate Bill 14, the Regulatory Reform and Efficiency Act, authored by Sen. Phil King (R-Weatherford) and sponsored by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake). The measure passed the Legislature on April 9, was signed into law by Abbott on April 23, and took effect September 1 alongside more than 800 other new laws.
The new office is modeled in part on federal efforts to rein in bureaucracy and is charged with reviewing state regulations, eliminating unnecessary rules, and helping agencies adopt best practices to reduce regulatory burdens.
“Texans deserve a government that protects individual liberty and fosters economic opportunity,” Abbott said in a statement. “Through the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office, we will cut red tape, streamline regulations, and put a check on the growth of the administrative state to keep Texas the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
What TREO Will Do
The law establishing TREO lays out several specific responsibilities:
Public Access Website: In partnership with the Department of Information Resources and the Secretary of State, TREO must oversee a “user-friendly” website where Texans can find information about state laws, agencies, and their jurisdictions.
Regulatory Review: TREO will evaluate how agencies adopt new rules, how contested cases are conducted, and how reviews are handled — with the goal of improving efficiency.
Partnership with Agencies: Rather than replacing agency oversight, TREO is expected to work alongside state entities to identify inefficiencies, waste, or redundant processes.
Advisory Panel
SB 14 also establishes a seven-member advisory panel that will be administratively tied to the governor’s office. Appointments will be shared between the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the Texas House, with requirements to ensure representation from small and large businesses, the public, licensed professionals, state agencies, and higher education.
The governor will appoint three members, including an occupational license holder, a representative of rule-making state agencies, and a higher education researcher experienced in regulatory issues. The lieutenant governor will appoint two — one from a large regulated business and one member of the public. The speaker of the House will nominate two more, representing a small regulated business and the public, subject to the governor’s approval.
Greener’s Appointment
Greener, a longtime advocate of limited government and regulatory reform, has served in senior roles at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank influential in state policymaking. Abbott praised his selection, saying:
“With a proven record of championing limited government and commonsense public policy, Jerome is an exceptional choice to lead TREO as it works to ease burdens on Texans and make government leaner, faster, and more accountable.”
The appointment signals Abbott’s continued push to frame Texas as a business-friendly state with a light regulatory touch — a stance that supporters say spurs growth, but that critics argue can sometimes come at the expense of consumer protections or oversight.
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