🚂Proposed Amendments to FRA Accident Reporting Regulations
This proposed rule would make various miscellaneous amendments to FRA's accident reporting regulations. Specifically, these amendments would promote submitting documents to FRA electronically, would eliminate redundant regulations, and would allow railroads with additional time to complete certain forms.
Learn More📉Removal of Annuity Provider Regulation
This direct final rule (DFR) removes 29 CFR 2550.404a-4 from the Code of Federal Regulations, which is a regulation published in 2008 that provides a fiduciary safe harbor for the selection of annuity providers for the purpose of benefit distributions from individual account retirement plans covered by title I of the Employee Retirement Income Act of 1974 (ERISA). The regulatory safe harbor became unnecessary in 2019 when Congress amended ERISA to add a more streamlined fiduciary safe harbor covering the same activity. Although the statutory safe harbor did not technically nullify or repeal the regulatory safe harbor, its existence offers an unnecessary and inefficient alternative and may inadvertently be a trap for the unwary. This action improves the daily lives of the American people by reducing unnecessary, burdensome, and costly Federal regulations.
Learn More🚂Updates to Railroad Communications Regulations by FRA
This rule makes administrative updates to FRA's railroad communications regulations, including updating addresses in those regulations.
Learn More⚒️Regulatory Proposal for Conveyor Belt Approval in Underground Mines
MSHA is proposing to revise 30 CFR part 75 by removing outdated requirements for the approval process for conveyor belts used in underground coal mines. These revisions would streamline the current requirements for underground coal operators while maintaining the same level of protections for miners who work with such equipment.
Learn More🚆Key Administrative Updates to Railroad Safety Regulations
This rule makes administrative updates to FRA's training, qualification, and oversight regulations, including updating addresses in those regulations.
Learn More⚖️Proposed Rescission of WIOA Affirmative Outreach Requirements
The Department of Labor (Department), Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management, Civil Rights Center (CRC), proposes to remove the regulations implementing the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) that contain affirmative outreach requirements for recipients of financial assistance under Title I of WIOA. WIOA does not authorize the Department to require affirmative outreach, therefore the Department is proposing to remove this requirement.
Learn More🚂Proposed Rule on Freight Car Age Requirements by FRA
FRA proposes to amend its freight car safety regulations to repeal the requirement for special approval to place or continue a freight car in service if it is more than 50 years old or equipped with any design or type component listed in appendix A to this part. Instead, railroads would be able to continue or place such "overage" cars in service after complying with uniform safety requirements. Those requirements would include comprehensive shop inspections by a designated inspector, single-car air brake testing, recordkeeping, and, as appropriate, stenciling. The proposed requirements are consistent with the most important conditions that FRA now requires through the existing special approval process. Repealing the special approval process and replacing it with the proposed, uniform requirements would provide equivalent safety outcomes while reducing burdens on railroads and eliminating the added delay involved in petitioning FRA for a special approval.
Learn More🚂Administrative Updates to U.S. Rail Operations Regulations
This rule makes administrative updates to FRA's U.S. locational requirement for dispatching of U.S. rail operations regulations, including updating addresses in those regulations.
Learn More🐟Maritime Administration Proposes Changes to American Fisheries Act Regulations
On May 1, 2019, MARAD published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), titled "How Best to Simplify Filing Statements of American Fisheries Act Citizenship: Policy and Regulatory Review," soliciting public comment on steps MARAD could take to simplify and modernize the process for evidencing U.S. citizenship for owners of U.S.-flag fishing industry vessels of 100 feet or greater in registered length. In response to public support for updating our regulations, MARAD is soliciting public comments on this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Consistent with comments received, the proposed rule would simplify the annual citizenship filing procedures under the American Fisheries Act (AFA) program in order to reduce costs or administrative burdens placed on owners of fishing industry vessels. MARAD proposes (1) to simplify and streamline annual renewal filing for vessel owners whose citizenship information has not changed since their affidavit of U.S. citizenship (AFA Affidavit) filing; (2) to update acceptable methods for evidencing citizenship of publicly traded entities; and (3) to eliminate requirements to provide personally identifiable information (i.e., social security numbers and dates and places of birth for corporate officers and directors) in affidavits of AFA citizenship.
Learn More🚆Updates to Railroad Alcohol and Drug Use Regulations
This rule makes administrative updates to FRA's control of alcohol and drug use regulations, including updating addresses.
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