The Obama administration has launched the first mobile phone app designed to offer people an intuitive way to track and stay educated about federal regulation.
RegInfo Mobile allows users to access information regarding the status of federal regulations and information collection requests from their Apple and Android devices. Details of regulatory actions and other related items handled by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) has been available through RegInfo.gov for more than a decade, but the point of the app is to increase public accessibility to such information by putting it on a platform that can be viewed in the palm of someone’s hand, the agency said.
The new app was developed to offer: better search capabilities; more streamlined, user-accessible information on regulations; and an interactive timeline to visualize the development of agency rulemakings.
“Users can view current and historical information about rulemakings; view detailed information about OIRA’s pending and concluded reviews of significant rulemakings; browse the log of past and upcoming public meetings about regulations under OIRA review; and view detailed information about pending information requests that are with OIRA,” the administration said via a blog post on whitehouse.gov. “A new feature will also allow users to view an interactive visual timeline of the development of a particular rule throughout the review process.”
The administration compared the regulation-tracking app to its FEMA app, which enables users to access safety tips, weather alerts and reminders of important preparatory actions to take when bracing for a disaster.
“Since the start of the administration,” the blog said, “the president has been committed to a 21st century regulatory system – one that maintains a balance between protecting the health, welfare, and safety of Americans and promoting economic growth, job creation, competitiveness, and innovation. We hope this will be another way for the American people to learn about the federal regulatory system, and more easily find information about agency rulemaking.”