Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 24 - 18.
Introduced:Jan 3, 2025
Primary Sponsor
Donald S. Beyer Jr.
Representative
Democratic
VA-8
Cosponsors
1
Quick Stats
Policy Area
Government Operations and Politics
Summary
This bill requires federal agencies to use technology to review existing regulations. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs must issue guidance on using technology for regulatory review and report on progress making regulations available in machine-readable format. It also addresses making the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations official.
Latest Action
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 24 - 18.
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill requires federal agencies to use technology to review existing regulations. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs must issue guidance on using technology for regulatory review and report on progress making regulations available in machine-readable format. It also addresses making the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations official.
Last updated: 1/5/2026
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Modernizing Retrospective Regulatory Review Act</strong></p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Requires technology use for reviewing existing regulations
Mandates OIRA guidance on tech-enabled regulatory review
Reports on machine-readable format progress
Addresses making eCFR an official legal edition
Each agency must develop compliance strategy
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
Federal regulations could be more easily analyzed using modern technology once in machine-readable format. This could help identify outdated or redundant rules. The public and regulated entities would benefit from more accessible and searchable federal regulations.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Government Operations and Politics
Related Subjects
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Government information and archives
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
67, 119th Congress (2025). "Modernizing Retrospective Regulatory Review". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-67
