The executive branch
effective date
When a law or rule actually starts to apply, which is often well after it is enacted or published. Not the same as the date it passed.
In full
Statutes routinely set delayed effective dates so agencies can write rules and regulated parties can prepare; most final rules take effect at least 30 days after publication, and major ones sit 60 days under the Congressional Review Act. A provision can also be retroactive, though the ex post facto ban limits that sharply in criminal law.
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.