Reducing Outdated and Redundant Regulations

Reducing Outdated and Redundant Regulations

The U.S. Census Bureau announced the removal of several clearly redundant or outdated regulations, including a public access cross reference, cutoff dates for boundary changes regarding the 2010 Census, and the Census Bureau’s official seal.

Effective January 23, 2026, the Census Bureau:

• Eliminated “a part of the Code of Federal Regulations that consists solely of a single provision cross-referencing another part of the Code,” pertaining “to public access to the Bureau’s records under various statutes, including the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).” The regulatory action is needed, according to the Bureau, “to streamline and simplify the Bureau’s regulations. The intended effect of this action is to reduce administrative clutter without altering any substantive rights or obligations.” (Eliminating the Census Bureau’s Redundant Regulatory Part Related to Public Information and Disclosure.) (15 CFR Part 60 [Docket No. 260108-0015] RIN 0607-AA68) https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/23/2026-01243/eliminating-the-census-bureaus-redundant-regulatory-part-related-to-public-information-and
• Removed “regulations governing the cutoff dates for the recognition of boundary changes for the 2010 Census. This action is necessary because the regulations pertain exclusively to the 2010 Decennial Census and are therefore obsolete, serving no current administrative or public purpose. The intended effect is to streamline the Code of Federal Regulations and reduce potential confusion for the public by removing outdated provisions.” (Removing Obsolete Regulations Governing the Cutoff Dates for Recognition of Boundary Changes for the 2010 Census.) ((15 CFR Part 70 [Docket No: 251205-0180] RIN 0607-AA66) https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/23/2026-01241/removing-obsolete-regulations-governing-the-cutoff-dates-for-recognition-of-boundary-changes-for-the
• Amended “its regulations that govern the Bureau’s official seal. Specifically, this rule removes unnecessary regulatory language and consolidates all of the necessary language into a single regulation. This action is intended to streamline the Bureau’s regulations and promote clarity by eliminating redundancy and potential inconsistencies between the regulatory language and the underlying statutory language of 13 U.S.C. 3.” The rule reduces four regulations to a single one: “§ 100.2 The approved, official seal of the Census Bureau is as follows: On a shield, an open book beneath which is a lamp of knowledge emitting rays above in base two crossed quills. Around the whole a wreath of single leaves, surrounded by an outer band bearing between two stars the words “U.S. Department of Commerce” in the upper portion and “Bureau of the Census” in the lower portion, the lettering concentric with an inner beaded rim and an outer dentilated rim.” (Streamlining the Regulations Governing the Official Seal of the Census Bureau) (15 CFR Part 100 [Docket No. 260108-0017] RIN 0607-AA70) https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/23/2026-01308/streamlining-the-regulations-governing-the-official-seal-of-the-census-bureau

The links to the full Federal Register Notices provide a lot more detail, to the extent that the rules are of interest to stakeholders.