Education policy in Rhode Island is established by the General Assembly, the Board of Regents, and the commissioner. The department's special assistant to the commissioner for legislative relations can assist the public in accessing and understanding pending or recently passed education legislation. On behalf of the commissioner, the legal office interprets and rules on issues that arise under federal and state education laws and regulations. The commissioner's hearing decisions and advisories provide the public with information on how education laws and regulations have been interpreted. On behalf of the commissioner, education reform policies are formulated and advocated for by these offices of the department through the regents' regulatory process and the General Assembly's legislative process.