Department of State June 8, 2016 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule is issued to adjust the civil monetary penalties (CMP) for regulatory provisions maintained and enforced by the Department of State. The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 (the 1990 Act), as amended by the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (the 1996 Act), required the head of each agency to adjust its CMPs for inflation no later than October 23, 1996 and required agencies to make adjustments at least once every four years thereafter. The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 (the 2015 Act) further amended the 1990 Act by requiring agencies to adjust CMPs, if necessary, pursuant to a ``catch- up'' adjustment methodology prescribed by the 2015 Act, which mandates that the catch up adjustment take effect no later than August 1, 2016. Additionally, the 2015 Act requires agencies to make annual adjustments to their respective CMPs in accordance with guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget. The revised CMP adjustments in this rule will apply only to those penalties assessed after its effective date; subsequent annual adjustments are to be published not later than January 15 of each year. In keeping with guidance provided by the Office of Management and Budget, the new penalty levels will apply to all assessments made on or after August 1, 2016, regardless of the date on which the underlying facts or violations occurred.