Department of Education February 22, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Secretary of Education publishes a semiannual agenda of Federal regulatory and deregulatory actions. The agenda is issued under the authority of section 4(b) of Executive Order 12866, ``Regulatory Planning and Review.'' The purpose of the agenda is to encourage more effective public participation in the regulatory process by providing the public with early information about the regulatory actions we plan to take.

The U.S. Department of Education (we or the Department) proposes to rescind regulations related to religious student organizations at certain public institutions of higher education (IHEs) that prescribe a novel role for the Department in enforcing grant conditions related to religious student organizations. These regulations apply to public IHEs that receive a direct grant from the Department or a subgrant from a State-administered formula grant program of the Department. The Department proposes to rescind the regulations because they are not necessary to protect the First Amendment right to free speech and free exercise of religion; have created confusion among institutions; and prescribe an unduly burdensome role for the Department to investigate allegations regarding IHEs' treatment of religious student organizations.

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Department is proposing an extension without change of a currently approved information collection request (ICR).