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By: FEDweek StaffThe Senate has passed S-111, to require each agency, in providing notice of a rule making, to include a 100-word-or-less plain language summary of the proposed rule.
According to a report on the bill, while the Administrative Procedure Act offers the public an opportunity to submit comments on a proposed rule, “the public’s ability to offer useful feedback through comments is dependent upon the clarity and simplicity of the proposal, especially for parties who may not be experts in the particular subject of the rule.
“Therefore, this bill offers a uniform and universally accessible standard for agencies to better communicate their intended policies to the public,” it says.
The Senate also has passed S-1594, to allow the Congressional Budget Office to more easily access data and information maintained by federal agencies that it needs to conduct its assessments of bills pending in Congress. Among other provisions, it authorizes agencies to disclose records in their systems to the CBO without the consent required under the Privacy Act of an individual to whom the record pertains; the CBO would have to maintain the same level of confidentiality as is required by the agency from which the data is obtained.
“CBO estimates are required to advance almost all legislation through Congress, however, procedural issues can delay this office’s ability to obtain information they need from federal agencies to complete these analyses. The delays in CBO’s receipt of agency information and data can also adversely impact their ability to provide the most accurate analyses,” sponsors said after the bill’s passage.
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