Elimination of the Richardson Waiver Means Changes . . . But To What End?

Elimination of the Richardson Waiver Means Changes . . . But To What End?

In February 1971, at the tail end of Richard Nixon’s first term, his Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, Elliot Richardson, approved a directive that was printed in the Federal Register as a Statement of Policy on “Public Participation in Rulemaking”. The statement asserted that the Department of Health Education and Welfare (the precursor to the current Department of Health and Human Services [HHS]) would NOT exempt from full notice and…

HHS Policy Statement Limits Public Participation in Rulemaking - Compliancy Group

On Friday, February 28, 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services issued a policy statement stating that it would limit the extent to which members of the public can participate in its rulemaking process. Details of the HHS policy statement are provided below. HHS Policy Statement: The Administrative Act and How an Idea Becomes a Regulation A federal law known as the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) sets forth the process by which fede…