LibGuides: Administrative Law: Federal and Michigan Regulations: Home

What are regulations?

Regulations are "designed to implement, interpret, or prescribe law or policy or to describe the procedure of practice requirements of an agency" - E.O. 12866, section 3(d)

Many laws enacted by Congress require agencies to issue regulations. Executive branch agencies are granted the power to implement regulations relating to matters within their jurisdiction.

Agencies translate laws into detailed and precise rules for implementing statutes assigned to them. Regulations have the force and effect of law.

The above applies to both federal and state agencies.

The Regulatory Process

How the Sausage is Made
Chart of the regulatory process from ProPublica.
The RegMap
The Reg Map is a chart that gives an overview of the "informal rulemaking" process. (Reginfo.gov)
Regulatory Resource Center
"The Regulatory Resource Center is designed to educate citizens on how they can become involved in the regulatory process (Advocacy Center) and to inform the public about the workings of the regulatory process (Policy Library)." Provides an excellent overview of the regulatory process, researching regulations and additional reference material.
RegInfo.gov
Information on regulatory information and process from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the General Services Administration (GSA). "GSA's Regulatory Information Service Center (RISC) is responsible for gathering and publishing information on Federal regulations through the semiannual Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions and the annual Regulatory Plan..."

Understanding Citations

60 FR 41578 = volume 60 of the Federal Register, page 41578

42 CFR 102.34 = title 42 of the Code of Federal Regulations, section 102, subsection 34

MSU Libraries

Research Guides

Administrative Law: Federal and Michigan Regulations

What are regulations?

The Regulatory Process

Understanding Citations