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The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a final rule amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to align with recent decisions made by the Australia Group (AG), a multilateral forum focused on preventing the spread of chemical and biological weapons. These changes include new controls on instruments for peptide synthesis, dipropylamine, and neosaxitoxin, and adjustments to existing controls on botulinum toxins and toxic gas monitors. The rule is effective December 23, 2024, and reflects ongoing international efforts to enhance export controls on items that can potentially be used in weapons programs.

The Department of Health and Human Services has announced changes to the drug testing panels used in Federal workplace testing programs. The revised panels now include fentanyl and its metabolite norfentanyl, reflecting changes in drug use patterns and safety concerns, particularly related to the opioid crisis. Although there was a proposal to remove MDMA and MDA from the tests due to their low detection rates, this has been postponed for further study. These updates aim to improve the accuracy and relevance of drug tests, balancing scientific evidence, and public input to maintain workplace safety.

The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has updated its regulations for testing and approving electric motor-driven equipment in gassy mines. The new rules allow manufacturers to use eight ANSI-approved standards for safety, which can replace some specific MSHA requirements but offer flexibility while maintaining safety. These changes are intended to encourage the use of innovative technology in mines and make the approval process more efficient for manufacturers. The rule becomes effective on January 9, 2025.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) proposes changes to its life insurance regulations to make it easier for terminally ill service members and their families to access benefits. Typically, a terminally ill person must apply for their Accelerated Benefit, which allows them to receive part of their insurance payout early. However, the rule change would allow an alternate applicant, like someone with power of attorney, to apply if the insured person cannot do so themselves because of medical reasons. This update would also make it clear who qualifies as a dependent for insurance coverage and aligns VA's practices with industry standards.

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has issued a final rule amending the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) to clarify the scope of export controls on certain vaccines and medical products. These changes are based on decisions from the Australia Group's June 2019 Plenary meeting. The aim is to ensure greater consistency and harmonization of international export controls, enhancing national security by preventing dual-use items from contributing to the development of chemical or biological weapons. The rule modifies controls on vaccines containing specific biological agents to only require licenses for export to a limited number of countries of concern.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is asking for information to help improve testing for Lyme disease. They want to know about the current technology and challenges involved in creating better tests. The HHS, through its Lyme Innovation initiative and the LymeX Innovation Accelerator, is working on partnerships to develop new diagnostic tools. The information gathered will be used to help create incentives and partnerships to develop advanced tests for Lyme disease.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued regulations to allow the U.S. Navy to take marine mammals in the Hawaii-Southern California Training and Testing Study Area. This modification permits additional takes of large whales due to vessel strikes. These regulations, effective from January 2025 to December 2025, mandate specific mitigation measures, like whale sighting notifications and limits on sonar use, to minimize impacts on marine mammals. The regulations were made after a thorough analysis and discussions with the Navy regarding potential impacts on marine mammal species, ensuring the activities have the least practicable adverse impact on these animals.

The Surface Transportation Board has tentatively approved the acquisition of Echo Windy City, LLC, an interstate motor passenger carrier, by TBL Group, Inc., a company that owns several similar carriers. This acquisition will allow Echo Windy to expand its services to include interstate passenger transportation. If no opposing comments are submitted by April 7, 2025, the approval will become final on April 8, 2025. The Board determined that the transaction would benefit the public interest without adversely affecting competition or employees.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a new rule that would require most packaged foods to display a front-of-package (FOP) nutrition label called the Nutrition Info box. This label aims to help consumers quickly find and better understand important nutrition information by providing easy-to-read details about saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. The new rule also includes updates to regulations for low sodium and low saturated fat claims, and would allow businesses time to adjust, with compliance dates varying based on their annual sales.

The U.S. Copyright Office has introduced a new group registration option called "Group Registration of Works on an Album of Music" (GRAM) that allows for the registration of musical works, sound recordings, and certain associated works distributed together on an album. This rule adopts, with some updates, previous proposals from a 2019 notice and will be effective starting March 26, 2021. Applicants can register up to twenty musical works and sound recordings from the same album using this option, which includes the implementation of specific online applications and a fee of $65. The rule aims to streamline the registration process and includes details on eligibility requirements, application procedures, and deposit requirements.