FTC Announces Schedule for Reviewing Regulations

As part of the Federal Trade Commission’s systematic review of all current FTC rules and guides, the agency is announcing a modified 10-year regulatory review schedule.

To ensure that its rules and industry guides stay relevant and are not overly burdensome, the FTC reviews them on a 10-year schedule. The review schedule is published each year, with adjustments in response to public input, changes in the marketplace, and resource demands. For 2015, the Commission intends to initiate reviews of, and solicit public comments on, the following rules:

• Contact Lens Rule, 16 CFR Part 315;

• Preservation of Consumers’ Claims and Defenses [Holder in Due Course Rule], 16 CFR Part 433; and 

• Ophthalmic Practice Rules (Eyeglass Rule), 16 CFR Part 456.

The Commission is currently reviewing 18 of the 65 rules and guides within its jurisdiction. The agency is postponing review of the Standards for Safeguarding Customer Information, 16 CFR Part 314, and the CAN-SPAM Rule, 16 CFR Part 316, previously scheduled for review in 2014 and 2015, until 2016.

The Commission vote to publish the proposed Federal Register notice regarding its regulatory review program was 5-0.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2,000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.