-Relieving the legislative branch from considering every aspect of a specific problem by creating regulations that apply the law to specific situations.
-Granted authority by the legislature to act on behalf of the legislative branches of government in many cases, their role is to regulate business.
-"Enables" the agency to come into existence, sets forth the purposes of the agency, and prescribes its functions and responsibilities.
-Agency carries out the goals of the statute by creating additional rules to flesh out the statute, actively enforcing the rules and the statute, and often times adjudicating cases involving those rules.
permits what was previously prohibited or that creates new powers
grant additional authority or responsibility to existing agencies
Statutes
-often called regulations, issued by an agency under delegated authority.
-Have the force of law if they fall within the agency's area of authority and were properly promulgated.
-issued by agency indicating its interpretation of its governing statute
-not automatically binding on private parties or the courts.
-a document produced by the agency to explain regulations it has promulgated or to explain the meaning of a statute that it administers.
Most rules are promulgated with informal rulemaking procedures, sometimes referred to as a "notice and comment" procedure
Requires: prior notice, an opportunity for participation, and publication of a final draft.
-“notice-and-comment rulemaking,” requires that an agency first issue a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and provide an opportunity for public comment on the proposal before it can issue a final rule.
Must be a trial-like public agency hearing at which witnesses give testimony on the pros and cons of the proposed rule and they are subject to cross examination.
-Only necessary when the enabling legislation says so
-Must include a statement of findings and conclusions
-empowered to investigate certain conduct to determine rules have been violated.
-4th amendment - does not require probable cause
-An agency "can investigate merely on suspicion that the law is being violated, or even just because it wants assurance that it is not"