Modernizing Retrospective Regulatory Review
1/31/2025, 3:38 AMSummary of Bill HR 67
Bill 119 HR 67, also known as the "Improving Retrospective Reviews of Federal Regulations Act," aims to enhance the process of reviewing and evaluating existing federal regulations. The bill seeks to ensure that regulations are regularly assessed for their effectiveness, efficiency, and impact on businesses and individuals.One key provision of the bill is the establishment of a Retrospective Regulatory Review Commission, which will be responsible for conducting comprehensive evaluations of existing regulations. The commission will assess whether regulations are achieving their intended goals, identify any unintended consequences, and recommend changes or repeal of regulations that are no longer necessary or effective.
Additionally, the bill requires federal agencies to conduct regular reviews of their regulations and report their findings to Congress and the public. This transparency and accountability measure aims to ensure that regulations are continuously evaluated and updated to reflect changing circumstances and priorities. Overall, Bill 119 HR 67 seeks to promote good governance and regulatory efficiency by improving the process of reviewing and updating federal regulations. By enhancing retrospective reviews, the bill aims to ensure that regulations are effective, efficient, and responsive to the needs of businesses and individuals.
Congressional Summary of HR 67
Modernizing Retrospective Regulatory Review Act
This bill requires the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) to issue guidance for using technology to retrospectively review existing federal regulations and, in consultation with relevant agencies, report on the progress of the federal government in making agency regulations available in a machine-readable format.
Specifically, the OIRA report must (1) assess whether regulations of agencies have been made available to the public in a machine-readable format, and (2) provide information about the recognition by the Administrative Committee of the Federal Register of the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) as an official legal edition of the Code of Federal Regulations. Currently, the content of the eCFR is authoritative but unofficial.
Additionally, not later than 18 months after the enactment of this bill, the OIRA must issue guidance about how a federal agency can use technology to retrospectively review the agency's existing regulations. Each agency must plan and implement a strategy to comply with the OIRA's guidance for the retrospective review.
