RD175 - July 2012 - Federal Mandate Report


Executive Summary:
The Federal Mandate Report is published semiannually by the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (OIA). This report provides reviews of federal legislation containing unfunded mandates that have become public law (Part I), or passed at least one chamber of Congress (Part II). The OIA relies on the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) interpretations of the Federal Unfunded Mandate Reform Act (UMRA) to determine what legislation contains intergovernmental mandates. Descriptions of the mandates provided in this analysis are based upon or excerpted from these CBO documents and Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports.

The semiannual report also provides reviews of federal regulatory action completed that may impact the Commonwealth (Part III). The OIA relies on recommendations of the Regulatory Information Service Center (RISC) of the General Services Administration (GSA) to determine which federal regulatory actions may affect the states. Due to delays at the GSA, the required information cannot be provided in time for the completion of Part III of this report for July 2012. A subsequent amended report will be submitted once the information is received from GSA and Part III is completed.

This edition of the Federal Mandate Report is intended to provide an overview of the legislative and regulatory requirements imposed upon the Commonwealth for the period of January 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012. Of the bills reviewed by the CBO, four have become public law, while seven have passed at least one chamber of Congress.