Regulatory Accountability Act, federal oversight of websites, Rick Perry’s economic plan, and more.
- The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Regulatory Accountability Act, which imposes cost-benefit analysis and other requirements on agencies during the rulemaking process. See related The Regulatory Review essay.
- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a final rule creating requirements for accountable care organizations (ACOs) that participate in Medicare, offering health care providers to opportunity to cut costs.
- Texas Governor and Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry unveiled his economic plan, which proposes to reform government regulation by creating automatic sunset provisions, conducting full audits of regulations, and requiring a regulatory budget for each agency.
- Members of the House introduced the Stop Online Piracy Act, which gives the federal government and Internet service providers more power to regulate websites that threaten American intellectual property or the public health.
- A Gallup poll found that small business owners believe complying with government regulations is the biggest problem facing their companies.
- A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) official promoted “smart regulation,” arguing that safety and innovation in medical devices can be achieved at the same time.
- California became the first state on the West Coast to adopt an emissions cap-and-trade program. See related The Regulatory Review essay.
- The United Kingdom’s Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announced an overhaul in government support for renewable energy technologies, which reportedly will benefit marine and offshore wind energy the most.
- The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated a 2001 U.S. Forest Service rule aimed at protecting over 50 million acres of roadless forests and grasslands.
- The Department of the Interior (DOI) granted British Petroleum its first deepwater drilling permit since the Deepwater Horizon spill.
- The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved a rule requiring periodic disclosure of information by hedge funds and private equity funds, which lessened the requirements from the version proposed in January. The Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) must approve the rule before it is released.
- The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it would produce regulations for the disposal of fracking wastewater discharge. See related The Regulatory Review essay.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched a website to remind the public that shining lasers at aircraft is a federal civil offense.
- The commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unanimously voted to reform the Universal Service Fund and intercarrier compensation rules to redirect funds to build the U.S. broadband network.
