AUSTIN, Texas -- It's been more than a month since Gov. Greg Abbott directed state agencies to run any new rules by him before they're made public.

While it might sound like a simple extra check on about two dozen regulatory agencies, it would mark a significant expansion of Abbott's executive power.

The governor's move has led a retiring Republican State House member to call out the policy as a "potential unconstitutional power grab."

Abbott’s office has defended it – saying that it falls within the governor’s “constitutional authority.”

“Since our Constitution in 1876, there has not been one judicial opinion saying what is the breadth of governor power? Therefore, it is totally unclear as to what the governor can or cannot do,” said Ron Beal, a law professor at Baylor University who has studied and written about the state’s rule-making process. “So Gov. Abbott is taking the initiative and saying I’m going to tell my people what I think they should do or not do.”

Click the video link above to watch our full interview with Mr. Beal.