Show-Me State Times

WASHINGTON – On May 11, 2023, Senator Eric Schmitt joined Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) as a cosponsor of the Guidance Out of Darkness (GOOD) Act. The GOOD Act is aimed to drastically increase transparency of federal agency regulatory actions, and underscores Senator Schmitt’s commitment to structural reform of the administrative state:

“Guidance documents often fly under the radar, but are integral in shaping how agencies promulgate and enforce regulations. While guidance documents aren’t legally binding, they deeply impact how agencies implement regulations and impact Americans more than they know. Americans have a right to know the ins and outs of each and every government regulatory action that affects their livelihoods, and this bill does just that. I’m proud to join Senator Johnson in this important fight,” said Senator Eric Schmitt.

Background:

• The GOOD Act requires federal agencies to publish their agency guidance documents online.
  • The publishing must be online, in a single location, and divided into subcategories. It would exempt documents and information that are exempted under FOIA.
• This bill will dramatically increase the transparency of agency regulatory actions for all entities that need to comply—including small businesses, workers, and American households.
• This bill compliments Senator Schmitt’s Expediting Reform And Stopping Excess Regulations (ERASER) Act – taking aim at the administrative state.