Purpose, who it is for and how to use it
Purpose: turn a status word in a headline, a Federal Register document or a state notice into a plain answer: is this in effect yet?
Who it is for: anyone reading about a new health rule, including patients, caregivers, people on Medicare or Medi-Cal, employers, students and reporters. No legal background is needed.
How to use it:
- Find the official document behind the news: the Federal Register document, the bill page, the state notice or the court order.
- Find its status label. On a federal rule it is in the ACTION line near the top. On a California bill it is the latest entry in the bill's history.
- Look up the label below. The "In effect?" column gives the usual answer. The "Check next" column tells you which date or later document can change that answer.
- Write down the date you checked. Status can change in a day.
For the full explanation, see Proposed, final or in effect? How to tell where a new rule stands.
Part 1: Federal agency rules
| Label you see | What it means | In effect? | Check next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Request for information; advance notice of proposed rulemaking | The agency is gathering ideas before it writes a proposal | No | Whether a proposed rule follows |
| Proposed rule (also called a notice of proposed rulemaking) | A draft published for public comment | No. Current rules still apply | Comment deadline in DATES; a later final rule |
| Comment period extended or reopened | More time to comment | No | The new deadline |
| Comment period closed | The agency is reviewing comments | No | A final rule or a withdrawal |
| Proposed rule withdrawn | The agency dropped the proposal | No | Nothing further, unless a new proposal appears |
| Final rule | The agency adopted the rule | Not before its effective date | Effective date, then any compliance or applicability dates |
| Effective date | The day the rule becomes part of the official federal regulations | Yes, as written | Whether a later compliance or applicability date applies to you |
| Compliance date or applicability date | The day the people the rule covers must follow it | From that date | Whether it depends on your plan year or another start date |
| Interim final rule (with comment period) | Adopted before public comment; comments come afterward | Yes, from its effective date | A later final rule that may change it |
| Direct final rule | A routine rule that takes effect unless someone sends an adverse comment | Yes, from its effective date, unless withdrawn first | A withdrawal notice before the effective date |
| Delay of effective date | The agency pushed back a date that had not yet arrived | No, until the new date | The new date, or a later notice if the delay is open-ended |
| Stay | The agency suspended rule text that had already taken effect | Not while the stay lasts | When the stay ends or is lifted |
| Correction | A notice fixing errors in a published document | The corrected text applies | The corrected wording |
| Proposed repeal; "will rescind" | The agency plans to undo a rule | The existing rule still applies | A final repeal document |
| Major rule | A rule found likely to have large economic effects, such as $100 million or more a year | Generally not until at least 60 days after publication or receipt by Congress, whichever is later | The effective date in DATES |
| Joint resolution of disapproval introduced or passed by one chamber | Congress is considering cancelling a rule | The rule's status does not change yet | Whether the resolution becomes law |
| Joint resolution of disapproval enacted | Congress cancelled the rule | No. Treated as though it never took effect | Nothing further for that rule |
| Guidance, FAQ, fact sheet, letter, manual or policy statement | The agency's explanation of how it reads or applies the law | Not law on its own | The statute or regulation it points to |
| Press release about a rule | A summary written for the public | Depends on the underlying document | The Federal Register document itself |
Part 2: Court actions on a rule
| Label you see | What it means | In effect? | Check next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawsuit filed; complaint | Someone is challenging the rule | The rule's status does not change | Whether a court issues an order |
| Stay, postponement or preliminary injunction | A court paused the rule while the case goes on | Paused for whoever the order covers | Who is covered (only the parties or states that sued, or more); any appeal |
| Vacated; set aside | A court held the rule unlawful and set it aside | Usually not, for what the order covers | The order's scope; any appeal; the agency's response |
| Appeal filed | A higher court will review the decision | Depends on whether the lower court's order is paused | Orders from the appeals court |
Part 3: Federal laws passed by Congress
| Label you see | What it means | In effect? | Check next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduced; passed the House or the Senate | A bill still moving through Congress | No | Whether both chambers pass the same text |
| Passed both chambers; presented to the President | Waiting for the President to act | No | Signature, veto or a veto override |
| Signed; became public law | The bill is law | From enactment, unless the law sets other dates | Start dates in the law; any implementing rule |
Part 4: California laws
| Label you see | What it means | In effect? | Check next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduced; amended | A bill still being written and debated | No | Its latest amended version and history |
| Passed one house | Halfway through the Legislature | No | The second house's action |
| Enrolled; presented to the Governor | Both houses passed it and sent the final text to the Governor | No | The Governor's action and deadline |
| Vetoed | The Governor rejected it | No. An override needs a two-thirds vote in each house | Override vote, if any |
| Signed; became law without signature | The bill is law | Usually not until its effective date; urgency measures take effect at once | Its effective date |
| Chaptered | The Secretary of State gave the new law a chapter number | Same as above | The chapter number, for finding the law later |
| Effective date | Usually January 1 of the year after it became law | Yes, from that date | Any later start date written into the bill |
| Urgency statute | A health, safety or public-peace measure passed by a two-thirds vote | Yes, immediately on enactment | Its text |
| Later start date written in the bill | Some or all parts begin after the effective date | Not those parts, until that date | The date in the bill text |
| Sunset date | A program or provision ends on a set date unless renewed | Until that date | Any bill extending it |
Part 5: California regulations
| Label you see | What it means | In effect? | Check next |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notice of proposed action | A formal proposal published in the weekly California Regulatory Notice Register; at least 45 days for comment | No | The comment deadline and any hearing |
| 15-day notice of modified text | The agency changed its proposal and reopened comments on the changes | No | The new deadline |
| Under review by the Office of Administrative Law | The agency submitted the final file; OAL has 30 working days | No | OAL's decision |
| Disapproved | OAL did not approve it | No | Any resubmission by the agency |
| Approved and filed with the Secretary of State | The regulation is adopted | From its effective date, usually January 1, April 1, July 1 or October 1 depending on when it was filed | The effective date stated for it |
| Emergency regulation under review | An urgent proposal; five calendar days for comment; OAL decides within 10 calendar days | No | OAL's decision |
| Emergency regulation approved | A temporary rule | Yes, usually from filing, generally for 180 days | Readoption (90 days at a time, no more than twice) or a certificate of compliance |
| Certificate of compliance | The agency finished the regular process to make an emergency rule permanent | The emergency rule stays in effect during OAL's review | OAL's decision |
| Underground regulation | An agency rule that should have gone through this process but did not | State agencies may not enforce it | A petition to OAL asking it to review the rule |
Date words, side by side
| Date word | What it marks |
|---|---|
| Comment deadline | The last day to send comments on a proposal |
| Publication date | The day a document appears in the Federal Register or a state register |
| Enactment date (California) | The day the Governor signs the bill |
| Effective date | The day a law or rule takes legal effect |
| Compliance or applicability date | The day the people a rule covers must follow it |
| Plan year | The 12-month period your health plan runs on; some rules start with the first plan year after a date |
| Expiration or sunset date | The day a temporary rule or program ends unless renewed |
Limitations
- This is a general guide, not legal advice. The document itself, and any later document, controls.
- Labels vary. An agency may word an ACTION line differently, and news reports often use loose terms such as "approved" or "blocked."
- Court orders differ widely in who they cover. Read the order itself, or a tracker that names the controlling order, such as the KPSGILL litigation docket.
- Other states and local governments have their own processes. City and county rules are not covered here.
- A rule can be in effect and still not reach you until your plan, state program or employer puts it into practice. Ask them for the date that applies to you.
Sources
- Document Drafting Handbook — Office of the Federal Register, August 2018 edition, Revision 2.2 dated June 2025.
- About the Federal Register — National Archives, Office of the Federal Register, accessed October 22, 2026.
- 5 U.S.C. 553, Rule making — U.S. Code, 2023 edition, U.S. Government Publishing Office, accessed October 22, 2026.
- 5 U.S.C. 551, Definitions — U.S. Code, 2023 edition, U.S. Government Publishing Office, accessed October 22, 2026.
- 5 U.S.C. 705, Relief pending review — U.S. Code, 2023 edition, U.S. Government Publishing Office, accessed October 22, 2026.
- 5 U.S.C. 706, Scope of review — U.S. Code, 2023 edition, U.S. Government Publishing Office, accessed October 22, 2026.
- 5 U.S.C. 801, Congressional review — U.S. Code, 2023 edition, U.S. Government Publishing Office, accessed October 22, 2026.
- 5 U.S.C. 804, Definitions (major rule) — U.S. Code, 2023 edition, U.S. Government Publishing Office, accessed October 22, 2026.
- Regulations.gov frequently asked questions — U.S. General Services Administration, eRulemaking Program, accessed October 21, 2026.
- Perez v. Mortgage Bankers Association, 575 U.S. 92 (2015) — U.S. Supreme Court, March 9, 2015 (reproduced by Justia).
- Trump v. CASA, Inc. (2025) — U.S. Supreme Court, June 27, 2025 (reproduced by Justia).
- Gozlon-Peretz v. United States, 498 U.S. 395 (1991) — U.S. Supreme Court, February 19, 1991 (reproduced by Justia).
- The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription (Article I, Section 7) — National Archives, accessed October 22, 2026.
- Glossary — California State Assembly, accessed October 21, 2026.
- Glossary of terms — California State Senate, accessed October 21, 2026.
- California Constitution, Article IV, Section 8 — State of California (reproduced by Justia), accessed October 22, 2026.
- About the regular rulemaking process — California Office of Administrative Law, accessed October 21, 2026.
- About the emergency rulemaking process — California Office of Administrative Law, accessed October 21, 2026.
- California Regulatory Notice Register — California Office of Administrative Law, accessed October 21, 2026.
- California Government Code § 11343.4 (effective dates of regulations) — State of California (reproduced by California.Public.Law), accessed October 22, 2026.
- California Government Code § 11340.5 (agency rules not adopted as regulations) — State of California (reproduced by California.Public.Law), accessed October 22, 2026.
- Underground regulations — California Office of Administrative Law, accessed October 22, 2026.
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