Administrative state 2024 legislation: Federal legislation highlights
August 16, 2024
By Ballotpedia staff
| Administrative State |
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| Five Pillars of the Administrative State |
| •Agency control • Executive control • Judicial control •Legislative control • Public Control |
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Federal legislation highlights
Ballotpedia tracked 30 federal bills related to administrative state reform in the 118th Congress as of August 2024. No bills have been enacted in 2024.
One bill, the Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act, became federal law on July 25, 2023. The Act requires agencies to include a link to an online summary with a notice of proposed rulemaking.
Notable federal bills in committee
The Guidance Out Of Darkness (GOOD) Act
What’s the status?
As of August 2024, both houses of Congress had versions of the GOOD Act in committee.
What would it do?
The GOOD Act would require agencies to:
- have one website location for all their guidance documents,
- post guidance documents upon issuance, and
- maintain online copies of any canceled documents.
This reform proposal falls in the procedural rights pillar of the administrative state.
Who’s sponsoring it?
Republicans sponsored the bills in both chambers.
The REINS Act
What's the status?
As of August 2024, the REINS Act had passed the House but was still in committee in the Senate.
What would it do?
The REINS Act would require agencies to:
- Gain legislative approval of federal regulations that impose costs that exceed a monetary threshold before they can take effect
- Include a cost-benefit analysis in proposed rules, as well as whether the rules are major or non-major rules according to the definition in the REINS Act
- Identify and repeal or amend existing rules to offset any costs of new rules to the U.S. economy
Who's sponsoring it?
Republicans sponsored the bills in both chambers.
The Stop Corporate Capture Act
What's the status?
As of August 2024, the Stop Corporate Capture Act was in committee.
What would it do?
The Stop Corporate Capture Act would, among other provisions, codify Chevron deference, which provides a framework for judges to defer to an agency's interpretation of a statute.
Who's sponsoring it?
Democrats sponsored the bill in the House.
The Separation of Powers Restoration Act (SOPRA)
What's the status?
SOPRA passed the House on June 15, 2023, and was still in committee in the Senate as of August 2024.
What would it do?
SOPRA would eliminate Chevron deference and require courts to hear cases de novo, or without consideration of agency interpretation.
Who's sponsoring it?
Republicans sponsored SOPRA.
Ballotpedia's Administrative State Legislation Tracker
Keeping track of the latest administrative state developments in all 50 state legislatures with Ballotpedia's Administrative State Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Administrative State Legislation Tracker allows you to track, query, and analyze hundreds of bills and resolutions affecting the authority and influence of agencies and agency rulemaking. Whether you're watching for specific reform policies, looking for trends, or keeping up-to-date on the changes in the administrative state landscape, our administrative state legislation tracker is your easy-to-use and flexible solution.
