New laws and rules, by the day they take effect
108 upcoming federal law and rule changes, each in plain English with a link to the official text.
This week November 9 to November 15, 2026
California raisin committee shrinks from 47 members to 21 and drops district seats
The Raisin Administrative Committee drops to 21 members from 47, loses producer district seats and the bargaining association seat, adds an unaffiliated producer seat, and needs 14 for a quorum instead of 25. It may also accept voluntary contributions.
Commerce extends its pause on export license rules for affiliates of listed companies
The Commerce Department's export control bureau extends its suspension of the Affiliates Rule, which applies the license requirements for certain listed entities to their affiliates. The suspension was set to end and now runs about two months longer, so the affiliate controls stay switched off.
EPA drops a wastewater limit for non-vinyl chloride pollutants at new PVC plants
New or rebuilt major PVC and copolymer plants no longer face a separate wastewater limit for organic air toxics other than vinyl chloride, or the testing, monitoring and reporting tied to it. The existing vinyl chloride limit now stands in for those pollutants. Existing plants are not affected.
Nuclear plants can store spent fuel in a lighter redesigned NUHOMS cask basket
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission adds Amendment 19 to TN Americas' NUHOMS dry storage cask certificate, so general licensees can load spent fuel into casks with the new 61BTH basket. It uses staggered plates to cut weight and make it simpler to build. A later notice confirmed no comments stopped the rule.
Nuclear regulators confirm approval of a lighter NUHOMS spent fuel basket design
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission found none of the three comments it got were significant and adverse, so its rule adding Amendment 19 to TN Americas' NUHOMS storage cask certificate goes ahead. Licensees can then load spent fuel into casks with the 61BTH basket, which uses staggered plates to cut weight.
U.S. drops white rust import limits on cut chrysanthemums
Fresh cut chrysanthemums and related flowers from countries with chrysanthemum white rust no longer need registered farms, farm inspections or a special white rust certificate to enter the U.S. Import rules for other cut flowers move from regulations to a USDA online database.
USDA rural home loans leave agent commissions out of the 6 percent seller cap
In the USDA guaranteed rural home loan program, real estate commission fees no longer count toward the 6 percent limit on what sellers and other interested parties can contribute. That leaves sellers more room to cover a buyer's closing costs, repairs and other allowed costs.
Colorado takes over permits for carbon dioxide storage wells from EPA
Colorado's Energy and Carbon Management Commission will issue and enforce permits for Class VI wells that inject carbon dioxide underground for storage. EPA stays the permitting authority on Indian lands in the state.
FCC adds FM radio channel 258A at Whitehall, Michigan, replacing vacant channel 248A
FM channel 258A is added to the allotment table for Whitehall, Michigan, after the local station's license was cancelled. The FCC has not yet opened a window for broadcasters to apply for it.
FCC deletes vacant FM radio channel 288A at Selmer, Tennessee
Vacant FM channel 288A comes off the allotment table for Selmer, Tennessee, because it sits too close to station WVNA-FM and no other channel fits the spacing rules.
National forest projects get shorter comment periods and no separate objection reviewer
Public comment periods on national forest and grassland projects shrink to 15 days from 30 for environmental assessments and to 30 days from 45 for impact statements. Objections are now answered by the project's responsible official, not a separate reviewing officer.
Surface Transportation Board raises 87 of its 135 filing fees
The Surface Transportation Board raises 87 of the 135 fees it charges to file cases and pleadings, and keeps the other 48 the same.
Next 90 days
Denali Park Road limit becomes 160 vehicles a day instead of a seasonal permit count
The National Park Service replaces its cap of 10,512 seasonal permits on miles 15 to 90 of the Denali Park Road with a limit of 160 vehicles a day, which the park already uses. The season no longer ends early in some years.
EPA repeals most of its carbon limits for fossil fuel power plants
The EPA repeals its carbon limits for existing coal, oil and gas steam power plants and drops carbon capture requirements for coal plants making large modifications and for new base load combustion turbines. Efficiency standards for new turbines stay; a separate proposal seeks to repeal those too.
Agencies may refuse to let workers on deferred-resignation leave take back a resignation
The Office of Personnel Management writes into its rules that agencies may give paid administrative leave to employees in deferred resignation programs and during layoff notice periods, matching current policy. Accepting deferred-resignation benefits becomes a valid reason to deny withdrawing a resignation.
Bear baiting allowed again in Alaska national preserves as the Park Service drops recent limits
The National Park Service removes hunting, trapping and subsistence limits it added over the past decade, so bear baiting in Alaska preserves follows state law again and no permit is needed to collect animal parts for handicrafts. Closures again require local hearings and notices.
Export licenses for civilian gun silencers move from the State Department to Commerce
Silencers and suppressors for non-automatic and semi-automatic firearms join the Commerce Control List, so exports need Commerce Department approval or a license exception instead of State Department arms licenses. Travelers can take them abroad under the baggage exception for personal firearms.
State Department takes silencers for non-automatic guns off the U.S. Munitions List
Silencers, mufflers and suppressors for non-automatic and semi-automatic firearms leave the U.S. Munitions List, so their exports no longer fall under the State Department's arms export rules and move to Commerce Department controls. Suppressors built for fully automatic guns stay on the list.
Workplace chemical hazard rule deadlines for labels and training pushed back four months
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration pushes each compliance date in its updated Hazard Communication Standard back four months. The deadline for chemical makers evaluating substances has passed; next, employers must update workplace labels, their hazard program and training for substances, with mixtures later.
Virginia takes over coal ash permitting from the federal program, with some exceptions
The EPA approves Virginia's partial permit program for coal ash landfills and ponds, so approved state rules apply instead of the federal ones. Federal rules still cover legacy ponds and coal ash management units, and existing state permits replace the federal rules only after the state reissues them with public comment.
Callers may treat a robocall opt-out as covering only that kind of informational call
Callers may treat a request to stop one kind of informational robocall, such as payment reminders, as covering only that kind. Callers may also pick one opt-out method if they disclose it on every call or text. Banks may send fraud alerts to numbers from an authorized family member or other banks.
Federal approval lets Ohio stop accepting self-bonds and change coal mining permit rules
The federal surface mining office approves changes to 39 Ohio coal mining rules. Ohio no longer accepts self-bonds as reclamation security, though none has been used in Ohio, and permit maps must show gas and oil wells within 25 feet of the permit area and producing wells within 300 feet.
Reactor license applicants may rely on earlier Energy or War Department approvals
Companies seeking a Nuclear Regulatory Commission license for a commercial reactor may cite an earlier Energy Department or Department of War authorization of a tested demonstration design to show the design performs its safety functions. Applicants must still explain any design or site changes, and the commission still does its own review.
EPA requires newer test standards for formaldehyde in plywood and particleboard
Makers, importers, sellers and testing labs for hardwood plywood, medium-density fiberboard and particleboard must follow newer editions of six industry standards cited in the EPA's formaldehyde rules, with no extra transition period. The EPA adds an optional small-chamber quality control test and drops a duplicate British version of one test.
Gun dealers may use the FBI's instant check system to screen workers who handle guns
Federal firearms licensees, until now barred from using the FBI's instant check except for gun sales, may run it on current or prospective workers and contractors who can reach guns, ammunition or parts. It is voluntary, needs the worker's written consent, is generally limited to once a year per worker, and the FBI charges nothing.
EB-5 immigrant investor filing fees rise about 71 percent on average
New fees include $7,615 for a standalone investor petition, $7,850 for a regional center investor petition, $5,000 to remove conditions on residence and $44,115 to seek regional center designation. Integrity Fund fees rise 10 percent, and filings postmarked from the start date must pay the new fees.
Federal fuel economy targets for cars and light trucks are cut sharply
Fuel economy standards for past and future model years drop to an estimated fleet average of about 34.9 mpg in the final year covered, down from 49.3 mpg under the old rules. Tradable credits end for later model years, and car and truck classes are redrawn.
Homeland Security accepts online payment for FOIA and Privacy Act request fees
Fees for Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act and Judicial Redress Act requests to the Homeland Security Department can be paid electronically through pay.gov or another platform the department picks. Before, requesters generally had to pay by check or money order to the Treasury, and both are still accepted.
Credit union trust accounts get one insurance rule: $250,000 per beneficiary, up to five
Federal share insurance treats revocable and irrevocable trust accounts the same way: a grantor's trust funds at each credit union are covered up to $250,000 per beneficiary for up to five beneficiaries, or $1.25 million at most. Before, a trust naming more than five beneficiaries was sometimes covered for more.
IRS sets rules for the new federal tax credit for scholarship donations
States that opt in must certify eligible scholarship granting organizations, and those groups must give each donor a yearly written acknowledgement and report qualified donations to the IRS.
2027
54 changes take effect or start to apply in 2027, 38 of them on January 1, 2027.
Public safety and emergencies 28Health and health care 9Work and business 6Food, farms and animals 3Environment and energy 3Housing and property 1
By topic
- Banking, money and insurance 5
- Environment and energy 18
- Families and children 1
- Food, farms and animals 8
- Government and elections 3
- Health and health care 10
- Housing and property 3
- Public safety and emergencies 34
- Schools and education 1
- Shopping and consumer rights 2
- Taxes and fees 3
- Technology and data 5
- Vehicles and travel 5
- Work and business 10