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The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service has amended the Mango Promotion, Research, and Information Order to remove frozen mangos as a covered commodity, following a referendum where the majority of first handlers and importers voted against their inclusion. This change discontinues the collection of assessments for frozen mangos and reduces the National Mango Board's membership from 21 to 18 members. These changes are intended to relieve regulatory burdens on frozen mango importers and streamline the Order's provisions, including clarifying definitions and updating voting procedures. The rule became effective on February 25, 2021, and stakeholders are invited to submit comments by April 26, 2021.

The proposed regulations aim to amend the rules for practicing before the IRS, eliminating outdated provisions and updating standards for practitioners like tax return preparers, appraisers, and CPAs.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 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a new rule concerning Hélicoptères Guimbal Model Cabri G2 helicopters due to a reported crack in a rotating scissor fitting. This directive requires initial and repeated inspections of the aircraft's rotating and non-rotating scissor fittings, with mandatory replacements if cracks are found. The rule also prohibits installing certain parts unless they have passed an initial inspection. These measures aim to prevent the potential unsafe condition that could lead to loss of helicopter control.

The Treasury Department and IRS have issued final regulations that update the rules for classifying transactions involving digital content and cloud services. These updates help clarify how transactions like software downloads and streaming services are taxed, especially in international contexts. The new rules replace the previous "de minimis" standard with a "predominant character" rule to simplify determining the main purpose of such transactions. Examples in the regulations provide further guidance, and while the new rules are effective for tax years starting on or after January 14, 2025, businesses can also choose to apply them to earlier years.

The document outlines an interim final rule by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), under the Homeland Security and Treasury Departments, to implement regulations for the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This rule amends existing regulations to provide guidance on preferential tariff treatment and related customs measures for various goods, including textiles and automotive products. It establishes certification requirements for importers and manufacturers, recordkeeping responsibilities, and procedures for protests and verifications. The rule aims to ensure compliance with the new trade agreement and streamline the process for benefiting from the preferential treatment under the USMCA.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has requested the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to approve an extension for collecting fingerprint information as required by Rule 17f-2(c) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. This rule involves the submission of fingerprints by certain people in the securities industry to the FBI through registered exchanges or associations, known as self-regulatory organizations (SROs). About 3,900 entities submit roughly 281,804 fingerprints annually, which takes around 70,451 hours in total. Fees for processing these fingerprints amount to over $7 million per year, ensuring careful handling and confidentiality.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced that due to expected collections exceeding the planned budget of $2,188,658,000 for fiscal year 2025, the transaction fee rate under sections 31(b) and (c) of the Securities Exchange Act will be adjusted to $0.00 per million dollars. This adjustment comes into effect on May 14, 2025. The methodology for calculating the new fee rates, which were initially supposed to offset the SEC's appropriation by Congress, is detailed in the document's Appendix A. Despite financial calculations suggesting a negative fee rate, such a rate is not possible, so it has been rounded to zero.

The Department of Defense (DoD) is proposing updates to the rules governing operational contract support (OCS) outside the United States. These changes aim to broaden the scenarios where contracted support can be used, improve accountability and reporting of contractor personnel, and clarify the responsibilities of those involved. The updated rule seeks to enhance integration and oversight of contracted support as a vital defense capability, addressing areas identified as high-risk by the Government Accountability Office. Overall, these efforts intend to minimize wastage and improve the effectiveness of military operations supported by contractors.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is implementing changes to the Biobased Markets Program, also known as the BioPreferred Program, following updates from the 2018 Farm Bill. The updated rule merges two previous sets of guidelines into one, streamlining the regulatory process for designating and labeling biobased products that qualify for federal procurement preferences. This final rule aims to make it easier for these products to qualify for federal use and merges federal guidelines for procurement and labeling into a single, simplified regulation effective January 8, 2025.

The United States Sentencing Commission is proposing changes to the federal sentencing guidelines. They aim to simplify the sentencing process by eliminating certain departure provisions and combining the three-step sentencing process into two steps, focusing more on the factors courts consider under the law. The Commission is also addressing circuit court conflicts regarding specific sentencing enhancements, such as those involving firearms and robbery offenses. They are seeking public comments and may hold a hearing on these proposed amendments.