Apparently beginning in the 1970s there was a nationwide movement to sunset state agencies. A choice quote from a Texas legislator in 1994: > [I] never saw so

Apparently beginning in the 1970s there was a nationwide movement to sunset state agencies. A choice quote from a Texas legislator in 1994: > [I] never saw so many alligator shoes and $600 suits as when some agency is up for sunset review. Source: https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Is+the+sun+setting+on+the+Texas+sunset+law%3f-a015443787 https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Is+the+sun+setting+on+the+Tex... That suggests a more general downside from sunsetting--it increases opportunities for lobbying. Worse, it benefits long-term preparation and strategy, which will favor monied interest groups and lobbyists especially. Which is similar to the downsides of term limits, which effectively shifts power to those behind the scenes--e.g. political operators, party bosses--rather than to the electorate. If you make serving in an office a literal revolving door, you empower those positioned to line people up at the door. Likewise, if you make lawmaking a process of continually rehashing old compromises, you empower those playing the long game.