(a) An interested person by petition to a state agency may request the adoption of a rule.
(b) A state agency by rule shall prescribe the form for a petition under this section and the procedure for its submission, consideration, and disposition. If a state agency requires signatures for a petition under this section, at least 51 percent of the total number of signatures required must be of residents of this state.
(c) Not later than the 60th day after the date of submission of a petition under this section, a state agency shall:
(1) deny the petition in writing, stating its reasons for the denial; or
(2) initiate a rulemaking proceeding under this subchapter.
(d) For the purposes of this section, an interested person must be:
(1) a resident of this state;
(2) a business entity located in this state;
(3) a governmental subdivision located in this state; or
(4) a public or private organization located in this state that is not a state agency.