The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions.
From April 25 through April 29, the Federal Register grew by 1,302 pages for a year-to-date total of 25,568 pages.
The Federal Register hit an all-time high of 95,894 pages in 2016.
This week’s Federal Register featured the following 592 documents:
- 494 notices
- Five presidential documents
- 36 proposed rules
- 57 final rules
Three proposed rules, including an amendment to rules regarding when a federal employer may collect criminal history information as part of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019 from the Personnel Management Office, and three final rules, including an amendment to the regulatory definitions of “firearm frame or receiver” and “frame or receiver” from the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau were deemed significant under E.O. 12866—defined by the potential to have large impacts on the economy, environment, public health, or state or local governments. Significant actions may also conflict with presidential priorities or other agency rules. The Biden administration has issued 67 significant proposed rules, 79 significant final rules, and one significant notice as of April 29.
Ballotpedia maintains page counts and other information about the Federal Register as part of its Administrative State Project. The project is a neutral, nonpartisan encyclopedic resource that defines and analyzes the administrative state, including its philosophical origins, legal and judicial precedents, and scholarly examinations of its consequences. The project also monitors and reports on measures of federal government activity.
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