🗃️Proposed Regulation Changes on Privacy Act Affecting Immigration Records
In the Notice section of today's Federal Register, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), a component within the United States Department of Justice (DOJ or Department), has published a notice of a modified system of records, Adjudication and Appeal Records of the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge and Board of Immigration Appeals, JUSTICE/EOIR-001. This system of records has been exempted from the access and amendment provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974, U.S.C. 552a(d), pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(1), and (k)(2). See 28 CFR 16.83. In this notice of proposed rulemaking, EOIR proposes to update 28 CFR 16.83 consistent with the system of records' modifications to exempt this system of records from certain provisions of the Privacy Act to protect properly classified information and law enforcement sensitive materials maintained in the system. For the reasons provided below, the Department proposes to update its Privacy Act regulations exempting records in this system from certain provisions of the Privacy Act. Public comment is invited.
Learn More⚖️Eliminating Expedited Examination of Design Applications
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) previously suspended expedited examination of design applications effective April 17, 2025. Further to the suspension, the USPTO hereby amends the Rules of Practice in Patent Cases by removing the provisions in the Code of Federal Regulations that provide for expedited examination of design applications. The removal of those regulations supports the USPTO's efforts to reduce the pendency of unexamined design applications, which will benefit all design patent applicants. The removal also facilitates the USPTO's efforts to address the problem of erroneous micro entity certifications, as well as the USPTO's broader efforts to mitigate and protect against threats to the intellectual property system.
Learn More⚖️Department of Defense Rule Change on Gender Terminology in Litigation
In accordance with the Executive Order titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," this amendment rule removes text in this CFR part that promotes or otherwise inculcates gender ideology. This change is purely administrative.
Learn More🏛️Administration Removes Gender Ideology in Wake Island Code
In accordance with the Executive Order titled "Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government," this amendment rule removes text in this CFR part that promotes or otherwise inculcates gender ideology. This change is purely administrative.
Learn More🔫DOJ Proposes Regulations on Firearms Rights Restoration
The Department of Justice ("the Department") proposes to implement criteria to guide determinations for granting relief from disabilities imposed by Federal laws with respect to the acquisition, receipt, transfer, shipment, transportation, or possession of firearms. In accordance with certain firearms laws and the Second Amendment of the Constitution, the criteria are designed to ensure the fundamental right of the people to keep and bear arms is not unduly infringed, that those granted relief are not likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety, and that granting such relief would not be contrary to the public interest.
Learn More📈Increase in Annual Limit for Prioritized Patent Examination Requests
The Leahy-Smith America Invents Act (AIA) includes provisions for prioritized examination of patent applications. Those provisions have been implemented by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in previous rulemakings. The AIA provides that the USPTO may not accept more than 10,000 requests for prioritization in any fiscal year (October 1 to September 30) until regulations setting another limit are prescribed. In 2019 and 2021, the USPTO published interim rules that expanded the limit on the number of requests to 12,000 and 15,000, respectively. The current final rule further expands the availability of prioritized examination by increasing the limit on the number of prioritized examination requests that may be accepted in a fiscal year to 20,000.
Learn More📜Discontinuation of Accelerated Examination Program for Utilities
In order to efficiently allocate examination-related resources to address pendency, and in view of the low number of requests for Accelerated Examination and the availability of a statutory program to expedite the prosecution of applications (Track One, prioritized examination), the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is discontinuing the Accelerated Examination program for utility applications. The USPTO is also modifying the rules of practice to clarify the grounds for which a petition to make special may be granted and when a fee is required for such petition.
Learn More🌍Congressional Review Act Revocation of Waste Emissions Charge
Congress has passed and the President has signed a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) final rule titled, "Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures for Facilitating Compliance, Including Netting and Exemptions" (2024 WEC Final Rule). The 2024 WEC Final Rule implemented and facilitated compliance with the requirements of the Waste Emissions Charge in the Clean Air Act's (CAA) Methane Emissions Reduction Program. Under the joint resolution and by operation of the CRA, the 2024 WEC Final Rule now has no legal force or effect. Because the rule has been nullified, the EPA is removing it from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). This action is exempt from notice-and-comment rulemaking because it is ministerial in nature.
Learn More📜Analysis of CEQ FOIA and Privacy Act Regulations Impact on Businesses
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) is finalizing its Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regulations to incorporate amendments to the FOIA set forth in the FOIA Improvement Act of 2016; to conform to guidance for Federal agencies from the Department of Justice; to make them easier for the public to understand and use; and to better reflect CEQ's current policy and practice. These final regulations reaffirm CEQ's commitment to providing the fullest possible disclosure of records to the public. In addition, CEQ is amending its regulations implementing the Privacy Act of 1974 (the Privacy Act) to make them easier for the public to understand and use and to better reflect CEQ's current policy and practice. These final regulations also make administrative changes, including reorganizing, renumbering, and renaming the sections of CEQ's current FOIA and Privacy Act regulations. CEQ considered all of the public comments received on its proposed rule and made changes in response in this final rule.
Learn More🔒DHS Proposes Changes to Social Security Number Regulations and Compliance
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS or Department) is proposing to amend its regulations under the Privacy Act of 1974 consistent with the Social Security Number Fraud Prevention Act of 2017. In addition, DHS is proposing to amend the rules regarding including a Social Security number on physical mail only when necessary to further define "necessary" and provide instructions on redaction of social security numbers when feasible.
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