I 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 3786 
To ensure clarity of regulations to improve the effectiveness of Federal 
regulatory programs while decreasing burdens on the regulated public. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 18, 2012 
Mr. BRALEY of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Over-
sight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To ensure clarity of regulations to improve the effectiveness 
of Federal regulatory programs while decreasing burdens 
on the regulated public. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be referred to as the ‘‘Plain Regula-
tions Act of 2012’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to improve the effective-
ness and accountability of Federal agencies to the public 
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by promoting clear regulations that are easier for the Gov-
ernment to implement and for the public to comply with. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ means an 
Executive agency, as that term is defined in section 
105 of title 5, United States Code. 
(2) 
REGULATION.—The 
term 
‘‘regulation’’ 
means a rule, as that term is defined in section 
551(4) of title 5, United States Code, that is issued 
by an agency. 
(3) PLAIN LANGUAGE.—The term ‘‘plain lan-
guage’’ means language that is clear, concise, well- 
organized, and follows other best practices appro-
priate to the subject or field and intended audience. 
SEC. 4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF FEDERAL AGENCIES. 
(a) PREPARATION FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PLAIN 
WRITING REQUIREMENTS FOR REGULATIONS.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 9 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the head 
of each agency shall— 
(A) designate one or more senior officials 
within the agency to oversee the agency imple-
mentation of this Act; 
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(B) communicate the requirements of this 
Act to the employees of the agency; 
(C) train employees of the agency to use 
plain language in developing and implementing 
regulations; 
(D) establish a process for overseeing the 
ongoing compliance of the agency with the re-
quirements of this Act; and 
(E) designate one or more agency points- 
of-contact to receive and respond to public 
input on— 
(i) agency implementation of this Act; 
and 
(ii) the agency reports required under 
section 6. 
(2) 
PERSONS
DESIGNATED.—Persons 
des-
ignated under paragraph (1)(A) or (1)(E) may be 
the same persons designated to carry out similar 
functions under the Plain Writing Act of 2010 (Pub-
lic Law 111–272; 5 U.S.C. 301 note). 
(b) REQUIREMENT TO USE PLAIN LANGUAGE IN 
NEW AND REVISED REGULATIONS.—Not later than 12 
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, each 
agency shall use plain language in accordance with the 
guidance issued by the Director of the Office of Manage-
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ment and Budget under the Plain Writing Act of 2010 
(Public Law 111–274; 5 U.S.C. 301 note) in all new and 
substantially revised proposed and final regulations issued 
by the agency. 
(c) CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE.—For each pro-
posed or final rule issued by an agency, the head of the 
agency shall certify to the Director that the agency head 
has read the proposed or final rule and that the rule-
making documents are in plain language. 
(d) EXEMPTION FROM CERTAIN INFORMATION COL-
LECTION PROVISIONS.—Agency actions to collect informa-
tion from the public about a regulation are exempt from 
the information collection provisions of sections 3506(c) 
and 3507 of title 44, United States Code, if the agency 
head certifies that the sole reason for the information col-
lection is to improve the clarity of the regulation under 
the requirements of this Act. 
SEC. 5. RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT 
AND BUDGET. 
(a) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the Of-
fice of Management and Budget should develop and issue 
guidance on implementing the requirements of this Act. 
The Director may designate a lead agency, and may use 
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interagency working groups to assist in developing and 
issuing the guidance. 
(b) RETURN
OF REGULATIONS.—If the Director 
finds that, with respect to any regulation proposed to be 
issued by an agency, the agency did not follow the guid-
ance issued by the Director under the Plain Writing Act 
of 2010 (Public Law 111–274; 5 U.S.C. 301 note), the 
Director shall return the regulation to the agency to be 
redrafted in plain language and resubmitted to the Direc-
tor for approval. 
(c) PUBLICATION OF CERTIFICATIONS.—The Direc-
tor shall publish the certifications from agency heads re-
quired under section 4(c) on the official Web site of the 
Office of Management and Budget. 
SEC. 6. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
(a) INITIAL REPORT.—Not later than 9 months after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the head of each 
agency shall publish on the plain writing section of the 
agency’s Web site created under the Plain Writing Act of 
2010 (Public Law 111–274; 5 U.S.C. 301 note) a report 
that describes the agency plan for compliance with the re-
quirements of this Act. 
(b) ANNUAL COMPLIANCE REPORT.—Not later than 
18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
and annually thereafter, the head of each agency shall 
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