GOOD Act

This bill, the Guidance Out Of Darkness Act, makes federal agencies post their guidance documents online so people can find them easily. Agencies must put new guidance on the web the same day it’s issued, and put all current guidance in one place on a website chosen by the Office of Management and Budget. Each agency must also add a clear link on its own site that takes you to its guidance collection. Guidance must be labeled and organized into subcategories. If a guidance document is later withdrawn, the agency must keep it online and clearly show that it was rescinded, when it happened, and, if a court ordered it, the court case number. Materials that are confidential under the Freedom of Information Act are not posted. These rules do not change whether a guidance document is valid or whether Congress can review it. The Government Accountability Office will check after five years to see if agencies are following the law.

Key points:

• Who is affected: Federal agencies and anyone who uses their guidance, like businesses and the public.
• What changes: Post new guidance the day it’s issued; put all guidance in one online location; add a prominent link on agency websites; label and organize guidance; keep and mark rescinded guidance; don’t post FOIA-exempt material; validity and congressional review rules stay the same.
• When: New guidance posted on issue date; existing guidance posted within 180 days of enactment; OMB picks the website within 90 days; a compliance report is due in 5 years.