The House Government Reform Committee has approved legislation aimed at clarifying regulations that federal agencies write and making them more usable.
Sponsored by Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich., HR-4809 would amend the paperwork reduction act to require federal agencies to ensure that regulations are in plain, understandable language — as defined in the act.
Specifically, the act would require agencies to designate a plain language coordinator, establish a regulation-review process that takes place prior to publication in the Federal Register, and publish guidelines implementing the amendment.
It would also require agencies to train employees who write regulations to write in plain language, and report to specified congressional committees each year for the first two years after enactment, as well as once every three years after that regarding compliance.
