Contents:
What are Regulations? |
Legal Citations |
Guides |
Where to Find Regulations |
Indexes |
Search Hints |
Common Abbreviations in the Federal Register |
For
More Information
What are Regulations?
There are three types of law which prevail at the federal, state, and local
levels of government in the United States: Statutory
Law, Case
(or Judicial Law) , and Regulations (or Administrative Law). Regulations
are written by executive agencies to establish the rules and detailed procedures
needed to administer the statutory laws passed by
Congress and signed by the President. All of these terms are used to describe
regulations: rule, administrative law, delegated legislation, and sublegislation.
The federal government publishes all regulations in the Federal Register,
along with proposed rules, notices, and other materials. The regulations are
collected, rearranged by subject, and published in the Code of Federal
Regulations. The Regulations.gov website provides timely information on proposed rules and the ability to post
comments.
Legal Citations
A citation to the Federal Register uses the volume number,
the abbreviation "F.R." or "Fed. Reg.",
the page number where the text begins, and the full date in
parentheses.
70 F.R. 20477 (April 20, 2005)
70 [voume number] F.R. [Federal
Register] 20,477 [page number] (April
20, 2005) [date]
A citation to the Code of Federal Regulations uses the
title number, the abbreviation "C.F.R.", the part and/or section number,
and the year of the latest revision of the title, in parentheses.
40 C.F.R. 180.434 (2005)
40
[title number] C.F.R. [Code of Federal Regulations]
180.434 [part 180, section 434] (2005)
[revision date]
Guides
-
The Federal Register: What It Is and How to Use It. Washington, DC: Office of the Federal Register.
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref KF70 .A34 F43)
Location: Internet
(http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/tutorial/index.html)
-
Federal Regulatory Directory. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, Inc.
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref JK671 .F4) Latest at Reference Desk
Location: Morris Library (JK671 .F4) Earlier eds.
- Provides an overview of the regulatory process and current trends in regulation. It describes the federal agencies involved in regulation, the agency's history, authority, organization, and information sources. Useful appendices include a reprinting of some major acts, such as the Freedom of Information Act, and a description of how to use the two major sources of government regulations: the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations.
-
Office of the Federal Register (OFR).
Location: Internet (http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/index.html)
Where to Find Regulations
-
Federal Register. (F.R.).
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref KF70 .A2) Latest 2 yrs.
Location: Library Databases (via LexisNexis
Congressional) [restricted to UD]
Location: Internet (http://purl.access.gpo.gov/GPO/LPS1756 or http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html)
(GPO Access)
Location: Library Databases (via Community of Science) [restricted
to UD]
Location: Library Databases (via LexisNexis Academic;
select Legal Research, Federal Regulations)
[restricted to UD]
Location: Morris Library - Microforms (Microfilm S 78) v.1(1936)-v.67(2002)
- A legal newspaper published every business day. Contains all federal agency
regulations (final rules). Also contains notices, proposed rules, presidential
proclamations, executive orders, and public laws. Rules and proposed rules
include citations to the Code of Federal Regulations
(C.F.R.). Arrangement is alphabetically by agency. Monthly and annual
indexes (Ref KF70 .A21) are arranged by agency with
some general subject references. Published since 1936. The Federal
Register is available
in several online versions. Dates of coverage and searching capabilities
differ. In LexisNexis Congressional,
select the Regulations section, which has the F.R. from 1981 to present.
-
Code of Federal Regulations. (C.F.R.).
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref KF70 .I51) Latest revision only
Location: Library Databases (via LexisNexis
Congressional; select Regulations) [restricted to UD]
Location: Library Databases (via LexisNexis Academic;
select Legal Research, Federal Regulations)
[restricted to UD]
Location: Internet (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html)
(GPO Access)
- The print edition from the Government Printing Office is the official edition
of the Code of the Federal Regulations. The CFR is the subject arrangement
(codification) of the general and permanent regulations of federal agencies.
The regulations are arranged (codified) into 50 subject areas, called "titles."
Indexing is by agency with some subject references. The C.F.R. is
revised once a year, in a quarterly publication cycle. This Library
retains only the most current revision, except for title 3 (The President)
which is retained permanently. The C.F.R. is available
in several online versions. Dates of coverage and searching capabilities differ.
Note: "title" refers to a subject section of the code.
-
LSA: List of C.F.R. Sections Affected. (L.S.A.).
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref KF70 .I52)
Location: Internet (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/lsa/about.html)
(GPO Access)
- Numerical listing of changes keyed to C.F.R. parts/sections.
Bridges the gap between new rules and the C.F.R. Arrangement is by C.F.R. titles
and section numbers; cannot be searched by subject. The LSA is
necessary if using the print copies of the F.R. and C.F.R. The LSA online edition
includes: "About the LSA" and
"Retrieve a Federal Register Page."
-
e-Rulemaking websites.
Location: Internet (http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/public-participation/rulemaking-sites.html)
- Links to agency websites.
-
Indexes
-
Federal Register Index. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records
Administration, Office of the Federal Register; U.S. G.P.O. Monthly.
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref KF70 .A21) 1962 to present
Location: Internet (http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/the-federal-register/annual-indexes.html)
1994 to present (Office of the Federal Register)
Location: Morris Library - Microforms (Microfilm S 78) v.1(1936)-v.67(2002)
- The Index is arranged alphabetically by agency with some general subject
references. Each monthly index is cumulative and there is an annual cumulative
index. The Library has 1962-1982, 1984-1987, 1989-1994, 1996 to present.
The index is also available at the beginning of each reel of the microfilm
edition. (Exception: there are no annual indexes for 1953-1955.) The Office
of the Federal Register Web has online searchable annual indexes for 1994
to present. Like the print versions, the online versions are arranged by
agency.
-
CIS Federal Register Index. Bethesda, MD: Congressional Information Service.
1984-1998.
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref KF70 .A22)
- Indexing is by subject and more thorough than the index produced by National
Archives. Ceased in 1998, but still excellent for the time period it covers
and useful for vocabulary suggestions and agency names.
-
C.F.R. Index and Finding Aids. Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration; U.S. G.P.O. Annual.
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref KF70 .A33)
-
CIS Index to the Code of Federal Regulations. Bethesda, MD: Congressional Information Service.
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref KF70 .I5315)
- Indexing is by subject and more thorough than the index produced by National
Archives. Library has 2001 edition. Dated, but still useful for vocabulary
suggestions and agency names.
Search Hints
How to find the most up-to-date version of a regulation?
Find the regulation in the C.F.R., then search the F.R. and LSA.
Or, use the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR), a beta
test version of the C.F.R. which is updated more frequently.
How to find regulations for a particular law?
Use the "Parallel Table of Authorities and Rules" in the C.F.R. --
arranged by USC (United States Code) reference.
The L.S.A. contains
a U.S.C. table.
How to get a preview of rules or proposed rules before they are published?
Search the Unified Agenda on
the GPO Access Web or Documents
on Public Inspection on the Archives Web to find brief information on upcoming
rules and proposed rules.
How to comment on proposed rules?
Go to the Regulations.gov website.
Common Abbreviations in the Federal Register
| N | Notice |
| NPRM | Notice of Proposed Rulemaking |
| NOFA | Notice of Funding Availability |
| PR | Proposed Rule |
| Pres | Presidential Document |
| R | Rule (Final Rule) |
For More Information
-
Finding the Law: A Workbook on Legal Research for Laypersons. Denver, CO: U.S. Bureau of Land Management, 1982.
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref KF240 .C525)
Location: Morris Library - U.S. Documents (U.S. Doc I 53.2: L 41)
- A bit dated, but still one of the best resources for explaining laws (print editions).
-
Robinson, Judith Schiek. Tapping the Government Grapevine; the User-Friendly Guide to U. S. Government Information Sources. 3rd ed. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1999.
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref J83 .R62 1998) Reference Desk
-
Sears, Jean L. and Marilyn K. Moody. Using Government Information Sources:
Electronic and Print. 3rd ed. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 2001.
Location: Morris Library - Reference (Ref Z1223 .Z7 S4 2001) Reference Desk
-
Regulations.gov.
Location: Internet (http://www.regulations.gov/ and http://regulations.gov)
- Provides a convenient way to find and post comments on proposed regulations.
- A Research Guide to the Federal Register and the Code
of Federal Regulations. (Law Librarians' Society of Washington,
D.C., Inc.).
Location: Internet (http://www.llsdc.net/sourcebook/fed-reg-cfr.htm)
Location: Internet (http://www.llsdc.net/sourcebook/docs/fed-reg-cfr.pdf)
-
Federal Administrative Decisions & Other Actions.
Location: Internet (http://www.lib.virginia.edu/govdocs/fed_decisions_agency.html)
- Provides links to regulations and decisions of Executive Branch and independent
agencies which fall outside the scope of the F.R. and C.F.R. Many of the links
are to agency FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) sites.
This page is maintained by
Rebecca Knight, Reference Department.
Questions or comments?
Version: 9/2006
Last modified: 12/17/07