Chapter 17 Flashcards
What is administrative law?
a body of law that defines, regulates, and limits the authority of regulatory agencies
What are administrative agencies?
department agencies (Dept of Treasury-IRS), nondepartment agencies (EPA), and independent agencies (SEC)
What is unique about independent agencies?
they are designated by Congress as independent of the executive branch and do not exist by virtue of the president or a department
Who heads an administrative agency?
administrators or commissioners
What are the primary functions of an administrative agency?
policymaking, investigation and enforcement, licensing and permitting, and distribution of federal benefits to the public
What is rulemaking?
a legislative function performed by administrative agencies to create legally enforceable rules in order to fill in the details of a statute
What is adjudication?
a system of adjudicatory bodies established within the agency to decide cases that involve an alleged violation of the agency’s rules.
Who composes the adjudicatory bodies of the administrative agency?
administrative law judges who are employees of the agency
What are the investigative and enforcement functions of the administrative agency?
investigating alleged violations of the agency’s administrative regulations and recommending enforcement actions such as fines and other sanctions. they also monitor compliance with regulatory requirements through inspection of facilities and grounds of business sites under their jurisdiction.
What are the licensing and permitting functions of the administrative agency?
licenses for professionals and industries
Examples: SEC-licenses to trade securities, FCC-tv and radio stations, EPA-control air and water pollution
What are the functions of the administrative agency regarding the distribution of federal benefits to the public?
administrative agencies are the portal used to distribute benefits including the application process.
Example: social security benefits, medicare, student loans
What are the sources of administrative law?
1) US Constitution
2) Administrative Procedures Act (APA)
3) Enabling Statutes
4) Common Law
What source of administrative law places limits on the type of powers that agencies may exercises and the methods employed to carry out their duties?
US Constitution
Examples: due process, nondelegation doctrine, fourth amendment protections
What source of admin. law imposes specific procedural structures and due process requirements on the agency’s duties?
Administrative Procedures Act
*also provides for judicial review of agency’s actions and determinations
What is an enabling statute?
a federal law passed by Congress to establish an administrative agency for the purpose of carrying out the details of macro objectives set by the law.
What is the source of the admin. agency’s authority and establishes the agency’s scope and jurisdiction over certain matters ?
enabling statutes
How does common law regulate administrative agency’s?
most of common law has been codified through the APA, but it is still used to apply or interpret the APA
What is the scope of the admin agency’s power?
1) Rulemaking
2) Enforcement, Licensing, and Inspection
3) Adjudication
Who establishes the rulemaking procedures of the admin agency?
APA
*rulemaking procedures are supplemented by enabling statutes passed by Congress
What are the informal rulemaking procedures?
- permitted under the basic structure of the APA
1) notice
2) public comment
3) publication of final rule
4) opportunity to challenge a rule in court
When is formal rulemaking used?
When Congress has specifically indicated in the enabling statute that the agency rules must be made “on the record after a hearing”. (an extensive hearing process set by the APA)
What are the rulemaking steps?
1) agency study & research
2) notice
3) public comment
4) revision or final publication
What happens during the agency study and research step?
the agency begins to study and research the various alternatives for achieving the goals set by Congress. many agencies employ scientists to conduct research and provide data and conclusions to policymakers.
What is involved in the notice step of the rulemaking process?
the admin agency proposes a rule to meet the objectives of the enabling statute and publishes the rule in the federal register to notify stakeholders
- the notice must include the “actual terms, substance, and description” of the proposed rule
- the agency must also disclose any studies, reports, data, or other pertinent materials used to create the rule
What is the next step after the admin has posted the proposed rule in the federal register?
the public comment period-the agency give the public time to submit their own research and findings and the agency is required to make a good faith effort to study the materials and comments.
*the agency may also choose to hold public hearings
Who typically submits evidence in the comment period?
1) various factions of business and industry
2) professional associations
3) public advocacy groups
What is the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980?
requires agencies to ask for and consider regulatory proposals that consider the size of the businesses subject to regulation.
the agency must consider small business concerns and permit them the opportunity to participate in the rulemaking