S. 395 – Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act of 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 1:37 AM UTC

The Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act of 2019 would require every federal agency, when issuing a notice of a proposed rule, to provide a short, easy‑to‑understand summary of the rule. The summary, limited to 100 words, must be posted on Regulations.gov and linked in the notice, giving the public a clearer, quicker view of what the rule would do.

Key Provisions

When a federal agency publishes a notice of proposed rulemaking, it must also post a link to a plain‑language summary that is no longer than 100 words.
The summary must be posted on Regulations.gov (the website required by the E‑Government Act).

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

9 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.

Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee

June 28, 2019

View full timeline

SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

February 7, 2019

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

February 7, 2019

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

February 13, 2019

SenateCommittee

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Reported by Senator Johnson without amendment. With written report No. 116-14.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

March 25, 2019

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 45.

March 25, 2019

SenateFloor

Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S3326; text: CR S3326)

June 11, 2019

SenateFloor

Message on Senate action sent to the House.

June 12, 2019

HouseFloor

Received in the House.

June 12, 2019 • 1:13 PM

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Judiciary Committee

June 12, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law.

Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee

June 28, 2019

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 395 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. Mitch McConnellR-KY · Jun 11, 2019

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 45, S. 395. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and…

Bill Text

4 versions available

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Referred in HouseIssued June 12, 2019

IC

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 395

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 12, 2019

Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

AN ACT

To require each agency, in providing notice of a rule making, to include a link to a 100 word plain language summary of the proposed rule.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act of 2019.

2.

Requirement to post a 100 word summary to regulations.gov

Section 553(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (2), by striking and at the end;

(2)

in paragraph (3), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(3)

by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:

(4)

the Internet address of a summary of not more than 100 words in length of the proposed rule, in plain language, that shall be posted on the Internet website under section 206(d) of the E-Government Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. 3501 note) (commonly known as regulations.gov).

.

Passed the Senate June 11, 2019.

Julie E. Adams,

Secretary