The week in regulations: Music royalties and avocado maturity

The Iran war continued to raise oil prices. The Trump administration took steps to raise tariffs under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, but is also considering temporary Jones Act relief. Inflation remained above target, and 2025’s economic growth was revised downward. Agencies issued new regulations ranging from nuclear fees to marketing Christmas trees.

 On to the data:

• Agencies issued 41 new regulations last week.
• This is equivalent to one new regulation every four hours and six minutes.
• Agencies have issued 506 final regulations so far in 2026.
• At this pace, agencies will issue 2,582 final regulations this year.
• For comparison, there were 2,441 final regulations in 2025, 3,248 in 2024, and 3,018 in 2023.
• Agencies issued 29 new proposed regulations last week.
• With 336 proposed regulations so far in 2026, agencies are on pace to issue 1,714 proposed regulations this year.
• For comparison, there were 1,498 proposed regulations in 2025, 1,769 in 2024, and 2,102 proposed regulations in 2023.
• Agencies issued 409 notices last week.
• With 4,059 notices so far in 2026, agencies are on pace to issue 20,709 notices this year.
• For comparison, there were 19,820 notices in 2025, 25,506 in 2024, and 22,902 in 2023.
• There were 1,366 Federal Register pages last week.
• With 12,496 pages so far, the 2026 Federal Register is on pace for 63,755 pages.
• For comparison, the 2025 Federal Register had 61,461 pages, and 2024 had an all-time record 107,261 pages. The 2023 edition had 90,402 pages.
• The average Federal Register issue in 2026 contains 255 pages.
• Rules with $200 million or more of economic effects in at least one year qualify as major under Section 3(f)(1). This replaced the former economically significant tag for $100 million-plus regulations.
• However, the $100 million economically significant tag is now revived under a Trump executive order, and the $200 million 3(f)(1) tag is going away. We will likely see rules from both categories this year.
• There are five 3(f)(1) or economically significant regulations so far in 2026, with one in the last week.
• This is on pace for 26 3(f)(1) or economically significant regulations in 2026.
• For comparison, there were 17 3(f)(1) or economically significant regulations in 2025, 20 in 2024, and 28 in 2023. Note that these are not apples-to-apples comparisons, since 3(f)(1) and economically significant rules have different thresholds.
• The estimated combined cost of 2026’s 3(f)(1) or economically significant rules ranges from net savings of $909 billion to net savings of $101 billion.
• For context, the cost tally for 2025’s 3(f)(1) or economically significant regulations ranged from net costs of $219 million to $1.64 billion. 2024’s estimate is net savings of $16.42 billion to $26.45 billion. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• There were five final regulations last week meeting the broader definition of “significant.”
• So far this year, 52 new final regulations meet the broader definition of “significant.” This is on pace for 265 significant final regulations in 2026.
• For comparison, there were 155 such regulations in 2025, 339 in 2024, and 290 in 2023.
• So far in 2026, 121 new regulations affect small businesses, on pace for 617. Ten of them are significant, on pace for 51 for the year.
• For comparison, in 2025 there were 597 regulations affecting small businesses, 30 of them significant. In 2024 there were 770 regulations affecting small businesses, 76 of them significant. In 2023 there were 789 regulations affecting small businesses, 79 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new final regulations:

• HUD is indefinitely delaying its rule requiring 30 days’ notice before evicting tenants who do not pay their rent.
• Correction to student loan rules.
• Fees for people who lose their US nationality.
• Federal rules of acquisition compliance guide for small entities.
• Trade agreement thresholds for federal acquisitions.
• Deep-sea red crab specifications.
• Music royalties.
• Stress tests for housing lenders.
• Medicare payment policy updates.
• Don’t import archaeological artifacts from Colombia.
• Stricter visa requirements.
• Updates to the Popcorn Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Order.
• Emissions standards for large municipal waste combustors.
• Additional financial reporting requirements for businesses near the Mexican border.
• The Christmas Tree Promotion Board is changing its name to the Real Christmas Tree Board.
• The federal government is ending its paper and paper-based packaging promotion program.
• Disaster relief for dairy farmers.

And from last week’s proposed regulations:

• Helicopter airworthiness.
• The FTC’s negative option plan rule.
• FTC rules for rental housing fees.
• Nuclear fees for fiscal year 2026.
• Revised standards for toddler beds.
• Marine mammal casualties related to Navy sonar.
• Tariff-rate quotas for dairy products.
• Tax cut for California olive growers.
• Extended inedible disposition obligation deadline for California almond growers.
• Handling regulations for sweet cherries.
• Tax increase for honey packers and importers.
• Subsistence bird hunting in Alaska.
• IRS pilot program for Trump accounts.
• HHS placement requirements for LGBTQI+ children.

For more data, see Ten Thousand Commandments and follow @10KC and @RegoftheDay on Twitter. See also CEI’s Agenda for Congress.