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The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) held its virtual Seventy-third Plenary Session, during which it adopted six recommendations and issued one official statement. The recommendations cover a range of topics including rules on rulemakings, protecting sensitive materials in public rulemaking dockets, improving government contract bid protest procedures, and making agency appellate systems more efficient. The official statement addresses the use of artificial intelligence by agencies, highlighting the importance of transparency and oversight. While these recommendations are not binding, they are intended to improve processes within federal agencies and will be shared with affected entities such as Congress and the Judicial Conference of the United States.

The Coast Guard has issued a final rule to update its regulations for the National Vessel Documentation Center to better handle electronic submissions and align with reporting timelines. This rule allows vessel owners to submit documentation electronically, eliminating the need to send in original documents like the Builder's Certificate or existing Certificates of Documentation (CODs). It also extends the time for vessel owners to report changes to their COD information from 10 to 30 days. These changes simplify the filing process and reduce the need for paper submissions, making it easier and more efficient for both vessel owners and the Coast Guard.

The proposed regulations aim to amend the rules for practicing before the IRS, eliminating outdated provisions and updating standards for practitioners like tax return preparers, appraisers, and CPAs. Key changes include removing unenforceable rules related to registered tax return preparers, redefining the use of contingent fees as disreputable, and updating appraisal standards to align with modern practices. The new regulations also set forth procedures for appraiser disqualification and clarify the disciplinary process for practitioners who violate IRS guidelines. The draft regulations invite public comments and set the dates for submission and hearing.

The Health and Human Services Department has issued a final rule updating the standards for electronic transactions in retail pharmacies under HIPAA. The rule adopts modifications to improve data exchange, enhance patient safety, and streamline processes, like replacing several free text fields with specific data fields. These changes include implementing the NCPDP Telecommunication Standard Implementation Guide, Version F6, and the NCPDP Batch Standard Subrogation Implementation Guide, Version 10, specifically for Medicaid agencies. The new standards are set to take effect beginning February 11, 2028, with compliance required 36 months after the final rule's publication, including an 8-month transition period to ease the changes.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, announced additional funding for five grant recipients from the FY 2020 National Consumer and Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Centers initiative. The extra funding totals $1,806,000, allowing each recipient to receive up to $361,200. This funding will extend their projects by 12 months, until March 30, 2026, enabling them to continue supporting mental health services for adults with serious mental illness. These funds are only available to the original grant recipients who demonstrate satisfactory applications and budgets.

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is considering changes to regulations concerning charter services provided by recipients of federal financial assistance. This proposed rule aims to remove specific outdated programs and guidance listed in appendices, update citations, and clarify regulations without making substantive changes. Key revisions include relocating certain information to the FTA website, removing the outdated appendix A list of Federal programs, and clarifying which human service organizations need to register to receive charter services. The proposed changes are intended to streamline processes and reduce administrative burdens without significantly affecting current requirements or imposing economic impacts.

The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council has announced a new rule that includes mining as a sector eligible for coverage under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act (FAST-41). This means that mining projects can now benefit from improved coordination and transparency in the federal permitting process. The rule aims to make the permitting process for mining projects more efficient without bypassing any environmental reviews or public consultations. By adding mining to the list of FAST-41 sectors, it is expected to help streamline the project review process for eligible mining endeavors.

The Securities and Exchange Commission issued a temporary order and notice regarding an application from The Toronto-Dominion Bank and others for exemption from certain provisions of the Investment Company Act due to guilty pleas by TD Bank US Holding Company and TD Bank, N.A., related to anti-money laundering failures. The application seeks to exempt Epoch Investment Partners and other affiliated entities from disqualification rules that would negatively impact their ability to provide investment services to funds. The applicants argue that the misconduct was limited to certain entities and didn't involve Epoch, and they have taken steps to improve compliance practices. The temporary order allows them to continue services until a decision on a permanent order is made.

The Rural Utilities Service of the USDA has announced that applications are open for the Community Connect Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2025. This program provides approximately $26 million to help construct broadband networks in rural areas lacking such services. Eligible entities like incorporated organizations, state or local governments, and Indian tribes can apply for grants ranging from $100,000 to $5,000,000 to ensure rural communities have access to affordable, high-speed internet. Applications must be submitted online between February 20, 2025, and April 21, 2025.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has proposed a tentative decision that the current industry test procedure for commercial warm air furnaces (CWAFs) does not accurately reflect their energy efficiency. This new determination critiques the industry's method for failing to consider jacket losses and part-load performance, which impact the true energy efficiency of the equipment. DOE plans to apply a revised test procedure (called TE2) that accounts for these factors and is seeking public comments on this proposed method before making a final decision. Stakeholders can submit their feedback to help ensure the new test procedure is fair and representative of the furnaces' real-world performance.