Regulatory Flexibility Act
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary.
Regulatory Flexibility Act - Requires Federal agencies to include in the general notice of a proposed rule: (1) a statement of the need for and objectives and statutory authority of the rule; (2) a description and the estimated number of individuals, businesses, organizations, and governmental jurisdictions affected by the rule; (3) identification of existing rules which the proposed rule overlaps or affects; (4) a statement that the agency seeks alternative proposals which could achieve the regulatory objective of the rule at a lower cost to those affected; (5) an analysis of the proposed rule describing (a) the economic impact of the rule on individuals and small businesses, organizations, and governmental jurisdictions, and (b) alternative approaches for accomplishing the regulatory objective while reducing such impact such as modifying compliance requirements or providing requirement exemptions; and (c) a description of any reporting or recordkeeping requirement to be imposed on ten or more persons and estimates of the number of persons and time required to complete such requirements. Allows an agency to elect not to prepare such an analysis of a proposed rule if it incorporates into the general statement of the basis and purpose of the final rule a certification that such rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses or organizations. Requires Federal agencies to accept and consider alternative proposals to a proposed rule and to publish those proposals with justification of the selection of the final rule. Defines a small business, small organization, small governmental jurisdiction, and an individual as used in this Act. Directs each agency, within 180 days after enactment of this Act, to publish a plan for reviewing its rules. Requires each agency to determine whether such rules are efficiently achieving the goals of the implementing statutes. Directs each agency to publish annually a list of the rules to be issued and reviewed during the next year. Directs the Chief Counsel for Advocacy to report annually to the President and specified congressional committees on agency compliance with this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on July 2, 1980. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on July 2, 1980: Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
DAVID OBEY (D-WI) introduced it on July 2, 1980. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on July 2, 1980, 16871 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 16871 days ago, on July 2, 1980.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers