APA Comment Letter (General)

PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROPOSED RULEMAKING

PENNSYLVANIA REGULATORY REVIEW ACT AND COMMONWEALTH DOCUMENTS LAW

RULEMAKING INFORMATION

COMMENT LETTER

Date: [__/__/____]

Via: ☐ U.S. Mail ☐ Email ☐ Electronic submission ☐ Hand delivery ☐ Facsimile

[Agency Name]
[________________________________]
Attn: [________________________________]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]
[City, State ZIP]

Email (if applicable): [________________________________]

Copy to:

Independent Regulatory Review Commission (IRRC)
333 Market Street, 14th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17101
[email protected]

[House Standing Committee Name]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

[Senate Standing Committee Name]
[________________________________]
[________________________________]

Re: Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

• Pennsylvania Bulletin Citation: [____] Pa.B. [________________________________]
• Publication Date: [__/__/____]
• Regulatory Reference Number: [________________________________]
• Pennsylvania Code Citation: [____] Pa. Code Chapter/§ [________________________________]
• Proposed Rule Title: [________________________________]
• Comment Deadline: [__/__/____]

Dear [________________________________] (Agency Contact / Regulatory Counsel):

I. IDENTIFICATION OF COMMENTER

1. The following comment is submitted by [________________________________] ("Commenter") regarding the above-referenced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin on [__/__/____].

2. Commenter is a ☐ individual / ☐ business entity / ☐ trade or professional association / ☐ nonprofit organization / ☐ governmental entity / ☐ law firm / ☐ other: [________________________________].

3. Commenter's address is [________________________________], [________________________________], Pennsylvania [____].

4. Contact person: [________________________________]
   - Telephone: [________________________________]
   - Email: [________________________________]

5. Commenter's interest in this rulemaking: [________________________________]

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF COMMENTS

6. Commenter respectfully submits the following principal comments and recommendations:

a. Comment 1: [________________________________]

b. Comment 2: [________________________________]

c. Comment 3: [________________________________]

d. Comment 4: [________________________________]

III. DETAILED COMMENTS AND ANALYSIS

A. Comment on Proposed [____] Pa. Code § [________________________________]

7. Proposed Rule Text (Section/Subsection): [________________________________]

8. Specific Concern: [________________________________]

9. Legal Authority Analysis:

a. The proposed regulation ☐ exceeds / ☐ is consistent with / ☐ is in tension with the Agency's statutory authority under [________________________________] (cite enabling statute in Purdon's Pennsylvania Statutes).

b. Under the Regulatory Review Act, 71 P.S. § 745.5b(b), IRRC reviews whether the regulation is within the agency's statutory authority and consistent with the intent of the General Assembly. The proposed regulation [________________________________].

c. The proposed regulation ☐ is consistent with / ☐ conflicts with existing regulations at [____] Pa. Code § [________________________________].

10. Impact Analysis:

a. Economic impact: [________________________________]

b. Regulatory burden on affected parties: [________________________________]

c. Impact on small businesses: [________________________________] (Note: 71 P.S. § 745.5a(c) requires the agency to consider the impact on small businesses in its Regulatory Analysis Form.)

d. Cost to the Commonwealth and local governments: [________________________________]

e. Impact on the private sector: [________________________________]

11. Recommended Change: [________________________________]

12. Supporting Data/Evidence: [________________________________]

B. Comment on Proposed [____] Pa. Code § [________________________________]

13. Proposed Rule Text: [________________________________]

14. Specific Concern: [________________________________]

15. Legal Authority Analysis: [________________________________]

16. Impact Analysis: [________________________________]

17. Recommended Change: [________________________________]

18. Supporting Data/Evidence: [________________________________]

C. Comment on Proposed [____] Pa. Code § [________________________________]

19. Proposed Rule Text: [________________________________]

20. Specific Concern: [________________________________]

21. Legal Authority Analysis: [________________________________]

22. Impact Analysis: [________________________________]

23. Recommended Change: [________________________________]

24. Supporting Data/Evidence: [________________________________]

IV. PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE REGULATORY LANGUAGE (IF APPLICABLE)

25. Commenter proposes the following alternative language:

Current Proposed Language:

[________________________________]

Commenter's Recommended Language:

[________________________________]

Explanation of Changes: [________________________________]

V. COMMENTS ON THE REGULATORY ANALYSIS FORM

26. Under the Regulatory Review Act (71 P.S. § 745.5a), the agency must submit a Regulatory Analysis Form with the proposed regulation. Commenter provides the following comments on the agency's analysis:

a. Need for the regulation: ☐ Adequately demonstrated / ☐ Not adequately demonstrated because: [________________________________]

b. Compliance costs: ☐ Accurately estimated / ☐ Understated because: [________________________________]

c. Cost to state government: [________________________________]

d. Cost to local government: [________________________________]

e. Adverse effects on prices of goods and services: [________________________________]

f. Effect on existing regulations: [________________________________]

g. Compliance assistance plan: ☐ Adequate / ☐ Insufficient because: [________________________________]

h. Less burdensome alternatives: [________________________________]

VI. IRRC REVIEW CRITERIA

27. Commenter requests that IRRC evaluate the proposed regulation under the criteria in 71 P.S. § 745.5b(b):

a. ☐ The regulation is not within the agency's statutory authority
b. ☐ The regulation does not conform to the intent of the General Assembly
c. ☐ The regulation is not in the public interest
d. ☐ The regulation is not necessary (the need is not demonstrated)
e. ☐ The regulation's fiscal impact is unreasonable
f. ☐ The regulation's economic impact is unreasonable
g. ☐ The regulation adversely affects the Commonwealth's ability to compete with other states
h. ☐ The regulation is not clear and unambiguous
i. ☐ The regulation conflicts with existing regulations or statutes
j. ☐ Other IRRC concerns: [________________________________]

VII. COMMENTS TO LEGISLATIVE STANDING COMMITTEES

28. Commenter requests that the relevant House and Senate standing committees consider the following legislative oversight concerns regarding this proposed regulation:

a. ☐ The regulation exceeds the agency's delegated authority
b. ☐ The regulation conflicts with legislative intent as expressed in [________________________________]
c. ☐ The General Assembly should consider legislative action to address [________________________________]
d. ☐ Other legislative concerns: [________________________________]

VIII. REQUEST FOR PUBLIC HEARING OR COMMENT PERIOD EXTENSION

29. ☐ Commenter requests an extension of the public comment period.

Justification: [________________________________]

30. ☐ Commenter requests that the agency hold a public hearing on the proposed regulation.

Justification: [________________________________]
Suggested location: [________________________________]

IX. CONCLUSION

31. For the foregoing reasons, Commenter respectfully requests that the Agency:

a. ☐ Withdraw the proposed regulation in its entirety
b. ☐ Adopt the regulation with the modifications recommended herein
c. ☐ Republish the regulation as a revised proposed rulemaking with a new comment period
d. ☐ Extend the public comment period
e. ☐ Other: [________________________________]

32. Commenter appreciates the opportunity to participate in this rulemaking and is available to provide additional information, testimony, or technical assistance.

Respectfully submitted,

________________________________________
[Name]
[Title]
[Organization]
[Address Line 1]
[Address Line 2]
[City, State ZIP]
[Telephone]
[Email]

Date: [__/__/____]

COMMENT PREPARATION CHECKLIST

☐ Identify the proposed regulation in the Pennsylvania Bulletin by citation and reference number
☐ Verify the comment deadline (minimum 30 days from publication)
☐ Obtain the full text of the proposed regulation from the Pennsylvania Bulletin or PA Code website
☐ Review the agency's Regulatory Analysis Form
☐ Review the agency's preamble explaining the purpose and basis for the regulation
☐ Identify all sections of the proposed regulation that affect your interests
☐ Research the agency's enabling statute and legislative history
☐ Gather supporting data, economic analyses, and expert opinions
☐ Draft specific recommended changes with alternative language where possible
☐ Submit comments to the agency, IRRC, and relevant House and Senate standing committees
☐ Retain dated copies of all submissions and proof of delivery
☐ Calendar the comment deadline and any scheduled hearing dates
☐ Monitor the Pennsylvania Bulletin for the agency's final-form rulemaking

COMMON ISSUES CHECKLIST

☐ Statutory Authority — Does the agency have authority under its enabling statute?
☐ Legislative Intent — Is the regulation consistent with the General Assembly's intent?
☐ IRRC Criteria — Does the regulation meet IRRC's review criteria?
☐ Constitutional Issues — Does the regulation raise constitutional concerns?
☐ Vagueness — Are the requirements clear and unambiguous?
☐ Consistency — Is the regulation consistent with other regulations and statutes?
☐ Federal Preemption — Does the regulation conflict with federal law?
☐ Economic Impact — Are costs reasonable relative to the regulatory benefit?
☐ Small Business Impact — Has the agency minimized the burden on small businesses?
☐ Local Government Impact — Has the agency assessed the impact on municipalities and counties?
☐ Enforceability — Are compliance obligations practical and enforceable?
☐ Effective Date — Is the implementation timeline reasonable?
☐ Sunset Provisions — Should the regulation include a sunset or periodic review requirement?

PENNSYLVANIA RULEMAKING PROCESS OVERVIEW

1. Proposed Rulemaking — Agency publishes notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin with at least a 30-day public comment period
2. Regulatory Analysis Form — Agency submits to IRRC and House/Senate standing committees
3. Public Comment Period — Minimum 30 days; agency must consider all comments received
4. IRRC Comments — IRRC submits comments to the agency within 30 days after close of public comment period
5. Standing Committee Review — House and Senate committees may review and comment
6. Final-Form Rulemaking — Agency submits final-form regulation to IRRC, standing committees, and the Attorney General
7. IRRC Final Review — IRRC has 30 days to approve or disapprove the final-form regulation (71 P.S. § 745.7(c))
8. Attorney General Review — Attorney General reviews for legality and form
9. Publication — Final regulation published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and codified in the Pennsylvania Code
10. Effective Date — Generally effective upon publication, or on a date specified by the agency

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• Pennsylvania Regulatory Review Act: 71 P.S. §§ 745.1-745.15
• Commonwealth Documents Law: 45 Pa.C.S. Chapter 7
• Administrative Agency Law: 2 Pa.C.S. Chapter 2
• General Rules of Administrative Practice and Procedure: 1 Pa. Code Part II
• Independent Regulatory Review Commission: https://www.irrc.state.pa.us/
• Pennsylvania Bulletin: https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/
• Pennsylvania Code: https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/

This template is provided by ezel.ai for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be used without review by a qualified attorney licensed in Pennsylvania.