Underground Regulations | OAL

What are they, and what do they mean to you?

State agencies, with few exceptions, are required to adopt regulations following the procedures established in the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). A regulation is defined in Government Code section 11342.600:

“Regulation means every rule, regulation, order, or standard of general application or the amendment, supplement, or revision of any rule, regulation, order, or standard adopted by any state agency to implement, interpret, or make specific the law enforced or administered by it, or to govern its procedure.”

If a state agency issues, utilizes, enforces, or attempts to enforce a rule without following the APA when it is required to, the rule is called an “underground regulation.” State agencies are prohibited from enforcing underground regulations.

I went looking for the so-called “Z Register” (in case there are zombies registered in my neighborhood), and found that page, which I thought was cool. :slight_smile:

“The Underground Regulations” is a great name for a band, looking at you OAL employees with musical backgrounds!