Federal Participation in Consensus Standards

University of Michigan Ross School of Business

The White House Office of Management and Budget released a revision of OMB Circular No. A-119, “Federal Participation in the Development and Use of Voluntary Consensus Standards“ and in Conformity Assessment Activities.  According to the announcement:

OMB has issued a revision of Circular A-119 in light of changes that have taken place in the world of regulation, standards, and conformity assessment since the Circular was last revised in 1998.  OMB’s revisions are meant to provide more detailed guidance to agencies to take into account several issues, including the Administration’s current work in Open Government, developments in regulatory policy and international trade, and changes in technology.

The revised Circular is available at the link below:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/inforeg/revised_circular_a-119_as_of_1_22.pdf

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/inforeg_infopoltech

The response by ANSI is available at the link below:

ANSI Response OMB A-119 050614

The degree to which leading practice can be discovered and promoted by industries themselves is a policy issue upon which good minds will disagree.   Few nations disagree that innovation is faster and more enduring from the workpoint (or the point of consumption) up, but markets are not perfect instruments for discovering the greater good.

At a speech given at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business in 2015, S. Bhatia, CEO of the American National Standards Institute, expands upon this point in the short videoclip below:

Issue: [16-18]

Contact: Mike Anthony, Christine Fischer, Jack Janveja, Richard Robben

Category: Federal Regulation

Photovoltaic array the roof of the James Forrestal_Building, US Department of Energy | The US Department of Energy is one of the beneficiaries of Standards Michigan advocacy in the National Electrical Code since 1996

As part of its implementation of Executive Order 13563, “Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,” issued by the President Obama on January 18, 2011, the Department of Energy (Department or DOE) is seeking comments and information from interested parties to assist DOE in reviewing its existing regulations to determine whether any such regulations should be modified, streamlined, expanded, or repealed. The purpose of DOE’s review is to make the agency’s regulatory program more effective and less burdensome in achieving its regulatory objectives. In this request for information, DOE also highlights its most recent regulatory review and reform efforts conducted to date in light of comments from interested parties.

The request for public comment is available in the link below:

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 5 CFR Chapter XXIII 10 CFR Chapters II, III, and X Reducing Regulatory Burden AGENCY: Office of the General Counsel, Department of Energy

Much has happened since this commenting opportunity was posted on the original @StamdardsUMich website.   Accordingly, we will place this item on the agenda of our next weekly open door teleconference to which anyone is welcomed to join with the login information available in the link below:

Contact

Issue: [16-149]

Contact: Mike Anthony, Richard Robben, Christine Fischer

Category: Federal Legislation

University of California San Diego Nuevo East Graduate Student Housing

Significant changes to the requirements for elevator operation and maintenance (Section 606) for the 2021 edition of the International Fire Code which is incorporated by reference into public safety law of most states.

Click on image for more information

The changes are identified in strike and bold document linked below:

2018 IFC 606 Elevator Rev 6 Revisions draft 9-23-2017 File 17-342

The International Code Council invites the public to participate in its process through cdpACCESS and at its Groups A Code Development Hearings April 15 – 25, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio.   Ahead of the Group A Hearings we will place this and other Groups A proposals on the standing agenda of our weekly Open Door teleconferences hosted every Wednesday, 11 AM Eastern Time.  Anyone is welcomed to join these teleconferences from your computer, tablet or smartphone with the login information below:

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/718914669

You can also dial in using your phone. United States : +1 (408) 650-3123 Access Code: 718-914-669

Georgia State University Piedmont Central Student Housing & Dining Hall