Administrative Procedure Act (APA)

Statute that governs the regulatory process for federal agencies such as NOAA and other regulatory bodies. The state of California has its own APA in addition to the federal APA, which governs regulatory bodies such as the Department and Commission. The California APA requires that all proposed agency regulations be published in the California Regulatory Notice Register and remain open for public review and comment for a specified period of time. If a hearing is held, notice must be provided 45 days in advance and public comment by mail or at the hearing must be allowed. If the proposed regulation is then changed, the agency must make the revised regulation public 15 days before final action.