This week in ridiculous regulations: flax revenue and female test dummies

President Trump announced reciprocal tariffs. At this point it is uncertain how they would be implemented. Agencies issued new regulations ranging from butterfat testing to seat belt reminders.

 On to the data:

• Agencies issued 47 final regulations last week, after 29 the previous week.
• That’s the equivalent of a new regulation every three hours and 44 minutes.
• With 353 final regulations so far in 2025, agencies are on pace to issue 2,942 final regulations this year.
• For comparison, there were 3,248 final regulations in 2024, 3,018 in 2023, and 3,168 in 2022.
• Agencies issued 10 proposed regulations in the Federal Register last week, after 12 the previous week.
• With 172 proposed regulations so far in 2025, agencies are on pace to issue 1,433 proposed regulations this year.
• For comparison, there were 1,769 proposed regulations in 2024, 2,102 proposed regulations in 2023, and 2,044 in 2022.
• Agencies published 206 notices last week, after 216 notices the previous week.
• With 2,257 notices so far in 2024, agencies are on pace to issue 18.808 notices this year.
• For comparison, there were 25,506 notices in 2024, 22,902 in 2023, and 28,932 in 2022.
• Last week, 490 new pages were added to the Federal Register, after 425 pages the previous week.
• The average Federal Register issue in 2025 contains 322 pages.
• With 9,671 pages so far, the 2025 Federal Register is on pace for 80,592 pages.
• For comparison, the 2024 Federal Register has an all-time record 107,261 pages. The 2023 edition has 90,402 pages, and the 2022 Federal Register has 80,756 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 two 3(f)1 or economically significant regulations so far in 2025, with none in the last week.
• This is on pace for 17 3(f)(1) or economically significant regulations in 2025.
• For comparison, there were 20 3(f) significant regulations in 2024, 28 3(f)(1) and/or economically significant regulations in 2023, and 43 economically significant rules in 2022. Note that these are not apples-to-apples comparisons, since 3(f)(1) and economically significant rules have different thresholds.
• This year’s section 3(f)(1) and economically significant regulations cost an estimated $870 million.
• For context, the cost tally for 2024’s 3(f)(1) significant regulations is net savings of $16.42 billion to 26.45 billion. 2023’s 3(f)(1) and/or economically significant regulations estimated costs range from $62.60 billion to 90.48 billion. Cost estimates for 2022’s economically significant rules range $45.28 billion to $78.05 billion. The exact numbers depend on discount rates and other assumptions.
• There were three new final regulations meeting the broader definition of “significant” last week, after one the previous week.
• So far this year, there are 39 new regulations meeting the broader definition of “significant.” This is on pace for 325 significant regulations in 2025.
• For comparison, there were 339 such regulations in 2024, 290 in 2023, and 255 in 2022.
• So far in 2025, 103 new regulations affect small businesses, on pace for 858. Six of them are significant, on pace for 50.
• For comparison, 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. In 2022 there were 912 regulations affecting small businesses, 70 of them significant.

Highlights from last week’s new final regulations:

• Due diligence for computer circuits.
• Correction to updated safety standards for cribs.
• Correction to updated safety standards for play yards.
• Acceptable ASME Section XI inservice inspection code cases.
• Fifth percentile female test dummies.
• Seat belt reminder systems.
• Child seat anchors.
• Delayed safety standard updates for EV powertrains.
• A reference to the Interstate Commerce Commission, which was disbanded in 1995.
• Driving in Glen Canyon.
• Federal acknowledgment of Indian tribes
• Rural housing subsidies.
• Inflation-adjusted hydropower license fees.
• Clarifying changes to the federal program for promoting paper and paper-based packaging.
• Market development for mushrooms and pet food.
• Butterfat testing.
• Debt Collection Act petitions against curent Postal Service employees.
• Flax revenue.

And from last week’s proposed regulations:

• Alternative fuel tax credits.
• Financial reporting for farmers.
• Music royalties for subscription streaming services.

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