,,ii  #aah? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #dhje  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,july #be1 #bjbd,ms4   
,lummis 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,budd1 & ,mr4   
,ricketts7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 
0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on
 ,homel& ,security & ,gov]nm5tal        
,affairs  ,a ,,bill  ,to require ea*    
ag5cy to evaluate ! p]mitt+ sy/em ( !   
ag5cy to consid] :e!r a p]mit by rule   
c\ld replace t sy/em1 & = o!r purposes4 
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,full ,responsibility & ,exp$it$      
,en=cem5t ,act or ! ,,free ,act4  #b4   
,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7    
,ag5cies ne>ly unanim\sly op]ate p]mitt+
 sy/ems t-- 7,a7 give ag5cies broad     
discretion & require ag5cies review ea* 
p]mit application2 &  7,b7 ei!r d n h   
decision deadl9es or h decision deadl9es
 :i* ag5cies d n foll[4  7#b7 ,!        
comb9ation ( broad discretion & ! lack (
 decision deadl9es (t5 results 9 p]mitt+
 sy/ems t are t$i\s1 "t consum+1 &      
exp5sive = ! ,gov]nm5t & = applicants4  

7#c7 ,ag5cies w sometimes use discretion
 "u a p]mitt+ sy/em & ! "t consum+      
nature ( a p]mitt+ sy/em to /all or     
disc\rage p]mit issuance4  7#d7 ,!re is 
a compell+ int]e/ 9 avoid+ unnecess>y   
delay & exp5se 9 ,f$]al p]mitt+4  7#e7  
,p]mit by rule is a sy/em ( p]mitt+--   
7,a7 t includes specific writt5 /&>ds = 
obta9+ a p]mit1 a simple requirem5t = an
 applicant to c]tify compliance ) ea* ( 
! /&>ds1 & a /reaml9$ approval process t
 all[s an ag5cy n m ?an #cj days to     
v]ify t all conditions are met2 &  7,b7 
9 :i* an ag5cy reta9s ! "r &            
responsibility to audit & en=ce         
compliance ) p]mitt+ requirem5ts4  7#f7 
,p]mit by rule1 appli$ by ag5cies1 w\ld 
increase effici5cy & help ov]come delays
 & ! cumb]some co/ ( ag5cy review to    
,gov]nm5t & private int]e/s by focus+ on
 grantees t are violat+ ! law or /&>ds r
 ?an gatekeep+1 !reby all[+ ag5cies to  
protect ! compell+ int]e/s = :i* p]mitt+
 sy/ems are int5d$4  #c4 ,def9itions ,9 
?is ,act3 7#a7 ,ag5cy2 rule ,! t]ms     

ag5cy & rule h ! mean+ giv5 ^? t]ms 9   
section #eea ( title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates  
,code4  7#b7 ,complet$ application ,!   
t]m complet$ application means an       
application submitt$ "u section #d7;b7 t
 conta9s a c]tification t ! applicant   
meets ea* requirem5t & sub/antive /&>d  
e/abli%$ "u p>agraph 7#a77;,a7 ( t      
section4  7#c7 ,p]mit by rule ,! t]m    
p]mit by rule means ! p]mitt+ process   
describ$ 9 section #d7;b74  7#d7        
,sub/antive /&>d ,! t]m sub/antive /&>d1
 ) respect to a p]mit1 means ea*        
quality1 /atus1 action1 b5*m>k1         
measurem5t1 or o!r writt5 description t 
w\ld qualify a p]son to p]=m an action =
 :i* ! p]mit is requir$4  #d4 ,p]mit by 
rule  7a7 ,report to ,congress requir$  
,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date (     
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! head ( ea* ag5cy 
%all submit to ,congress a report t     
includes ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,an evaluation (
 ea* p]mitt+ sy/em ( ! ag5cy4  7#b7 ,a  
li/ & description ( ea* p]mitt+ sy/em   
us$ by ! ag5cy & ! requirem5ts = obta9+ 

a p]mit "u ea* su* p]mitt+ sy/em4  7#c7 
,a specific description ( ea* /ep !     
ag5cy foll[s to review a p]mit          
application1 includ+ a li/ ( ! job title
 ( ea* employee ( ! ag5cy involv$ 9 !   
p]mitt+ sy/em & a %ort job description =
 ea* job title z ! job relates to !     
evaluation ( p]mit applications4  7#d7  
,an e/imate ( ! numb] ( days betwe5     
submission ( an application = a p]mit & 
grant ( ! application4  7#e7 ,) respect 
to an application = a p]mit t is f\nd to
 n meet ! necess>y requirem5ts = a grant
 ( ! application1 ! necess>y actions    
requir$ ( ! applicant & ! ag5cy4  7#f7  
,a li/ ( prim>y int]e/s t ea* p]mitt+   
sy/em is int5d$ to protect4  7#g7 ,)    
respect to ea* p]mitt+ sy/em1 a         
det]m9ation ( :e!r a p]mit by rule c\ld 
replace ! p]mitt+ sy/em1 & = ea* p]mitt+
 sy/em = :i* ! det]m9ation is t a p]mit 
by rule c\ld n replace ! p]mitt+ sy/em1 
a description t details ) p>ticul>ity ! 
reasons :y a p]mit by rule c\ld n be    
reasonably us$4  7#h7 ,an id5tification 

( any *all5ges anticipat$ = a transition
 f ea* p]mitt+ sy/em to a p]mit by rule4
  7b7 ,p]mit by rule  7#a7 ,/reaml9$    
application process ,n lat] ?an #a ye>  
aft] ! date on :i* ! report is submitt$ 
"u subsection 7a71 ! head ( ea* ag5cy   
%all e/abli% a p]mit by rule application
 process ) respect to ea* p]mit sy/em   
id5tifi$ 9 su* report z feasible =      
transition to a p]mit by rule t does !  
foll[+3 7,a7 ,specifies 9 writ+ ea*     
requirem5t & sub/antive /&>d t mu/ be   
met by an applicant to file an          
application "u ! p]mit by rule sy/em4   
7,b7 ,all[s an applicant to submit an   
application t conta9s only a            
c]tification = ea* requirem5t or        
sub/antive /&>d specifi$ "u subp>agraph 
7,a74  7,c7 ,deems an application = a   
p]mit grant$ if-- 7i7 ! application     
conta9s ea* c]tification describ$ 9     
subp>agraph 7,b72 &  7ii7 a p]iod ( #cj 
days aft] ! date on :i* ! complet$      
application 0 submitt$ has expir$ & !   
application 0 n d5i$ "u p>agraph 7#c74  

7#b7 ,correction ( application ,dur+ !  
#cj-;day p]iod aft] ! date ( submission 
( ! application1 ! head ( an ag5cy may  
contact an applicant if any c]tification
 is miss+ f an application submitt$ "u  
p>agraph 7#a7 & ! applicant may correct 
! miss+ c]tification )\t any adv]se     
effect on ! application4  7#c7 ,d5ial ( 
application ,! head ( an ag5cy may d5y  
an application submitt$ "u p>agraph 7#a7
 only if ! head ( ! ag5cy issues a      
writt5 decision t id5tifies a requirem5t
 or sub/antive /&>d describ$ 9          
subp>agraph 7,a7 ( t p>agraph t 0 n met 
& /ates ) p>ticul>ity ! facts & reason+ 
= su* d5ial4  7#d7 ,audit & en=cem5t    
7,a7 ,9 g5]al  7i7 ,audit ,! head ( an  
ag5cy may audit a grantee ( a p]mit to  
v]ify compliance ) ! requirem5ts &      
sub/antive /&>ds c]tifi$ 9 ! application
 ( ! grantee "u p>agraph 7#a71 includ+  
by issu+ reasonable reque/s =           
docum5tation4  7ii7 ,en=cem5t ,! head ( 
an ag5cy may d5y an application "u      
p>agraph 7#a7 at any "t or susp5d a     

p]mit deem$ grant$ "u subp>agraph 7,c7 (
 t p>agraph if ! head ( ! ag5cy f9ds t a
 requirem5t or sub/antive /&>d "u       
subp>agraph 7,a7 ( t p>agraph is n met4 
7,b7 ,direct appeal  7i7 ,9 g5]al ,an   
applicant d5i$ a p]mit or a grantee ( a 
p]mit t is susp5d$ "u subp>agraph       
7,a77ii7 may appeal su* d5ial or        
susp5sion 9 an appropriate di/rict c\rt 
( ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7ii7 ,reasonable    
int]pretation ( a requirem5t or         
sub/antive ,9 an appeal "u clause 7i71 !
 c\rt %all consid] ! applicant or       
grantee to h met ! requirem5t or        
sub/antive /&>d ^u :i* a d5ial ( an     
application or a susp5sion ( a p]mit "u 
subp>agraph 7,a77ii7 is bas$ if !       
applicant or grantee-- 7,i7 _h a        
reasonable int]pretation ( ! requirem5t 
or sub/antive /&>d2 &  7,,ii7 made a    
good fai? ef=t to comply ) ! requirem5t 
or sub/antive /&>d pursuant to su*      
reasonable int]pretation4  7iii7 ,burd5 
( pro( ,9 an appeal "u clause 7i71 !    
ag5cy %all be> ! burd5 ( pro( to %[ t ! 

int]pretation ( ! applicant or grantee 0
 n reasonable or t ! ef=t ( ! applicant 
or grantee to comply 0 n 9 good fai?4   
7iv7 ,attorney fees2 p]mit grant$ ,9 an 
appeal "u clause 7i71 if a c\rt f9ds = !
 applicant or grantee "u ?is            
subp>agraph1 ! ag5cy %all pay ! attorney
 fees ( ! applicant or grantee & ! p]mit
 %all be deem$ grant$ or re9/at$4  7c7  
,p]mit by rule requir$  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n
 lat] ?an ! date on :i* ! report is     
submitt$ "u subsection 7a71 ! head ( ea*
 ag5cy %all issue a p]mit by rule option
 ) respect to any p]mitt+ sy/em id5tifi$
 9 subsection 7a77#g7 z feasible =      
transition to a p]mit by rule4  7#b7    
,qualify+ applicants ,n lat] ?an #ij    
days aft] ! date ( submission ( ! report
 "u subsection 7e71 ! head ( ea* ag5cy  
%all provide a p]mit by rule option =   
any applicant = a p]mit t fits )9 !     
description ( ! activities t are approv$
 = p]mit by rule4  7#c7 ,ma9t5ance (    
previ\s p]mitt+ sy/em  7,a7 ,concurr5t  
use ( previ\s p]mitt+ sy/em ,if ! head (

 ag5cy det]m9es t a p]mitt+ sy/em 9     
effect be=e ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act
 provides value t a p]mit by rule does  
n1 & a p]mit by rule is o!rwise viable1 
if ! head ( ! ag5cy includes a          
description ( su* value 9 ! report      
requir$ "u subsection 7a71 ! head ( !   
ag5cy may (f] bo? su* exi/+ p]mitt+     
sy/em & ! p]mit by rule1 & ! applicant  
may *oose :i* to use4  7,b7 ,pref]5ce = 
p]mit by rule ,if ! head ( ! ag5cy      
det]m9es t p]mit by rule is viable &    
wi%es to ma9ta9 only #a p]mitt+ sy/em1 !
 ag5cy %all ma9ta9 p]mit by rule4  7,c7 
,exi/+ p]mitt+ sy/em in/ead ( p]mit by  
rule ,if ! head ( an ag5cy det]m9es t   
p]mit by rule is n viable & includes !  
reasons p]mit by rule is n viable 9 !   
report "u subsection 7a71 ! head ( !    
ag5cy may cont9ue to use ! p]mitt+ sy/em
 9 effect be=e ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is  
,act4  7d7 ,re/rictions on ag5cy        
settlem5t agreem5ts ,! head ( an ag5cy  
may n ent] into a settlem5t agreem5t )  
an applicant "u subsection 7b7 9 :i* !  

ag5cy agrees to n en=ce1 ) respect to ! 
applicant1 ?is ,act1 any regulation     
promulgat$ "u ?is ,act1 or any          
requirem5t or sub/antive /&>d = a p]mit 
by rule e/abli%$ pursuant to ?is ,act4  
7e7 ,congressional ov]sight ,n lat] ?an 
#bdj days aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is  
,act1 ! head ( ea* ag5cy %all submit to 
,congress a report on ! progress ( !    
ag5cy 9 transition+ to a p]mit by rule =
 ea* p]mitt+ sy/em = :i* a p]mit by rule
 is requir$ to be implem5t$ "u ?is ,act4