Source: Des Moine Register

State rulemaking guru Royce retiring

Joe Royce, the senior legal counsel for the Iowa Administrative Rules Review Committee, is retiring on Jan. 2. He’s been a key source for decades for anyone in Iowa who is trying understand the complexities of state government rulemaking, which is one of the most powerful areas of governance at the Iowa Capitol. The rules panel handles spelling out the details of operating everything from Iowa health care programs to casino gambling and education.

“It is time — I’m over 65 and have had too much fun,” Royce said. “I came in 1976, stayed with the ARRC and leave in my 38th year. I did plan for retirement financing, but I forgot to plan on what exactly to do — a mistake. I am going to learn Spanish and sleep in in the mornings.”