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New Database on Government Mandates from the CBO

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Among many other things, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is tasked with reviewing bills and public laws under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act to determine if the legislation imposes federal mandates on various government and private-sector entities.  To help Congress, state and local governments, and the public find this information more easily, CBO has now created an online tool containing information about laws with these mandates.  For instance, the Drug Quality and Security Act requires pharmacies to monitor prescription drugs through the drug distribution system and the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act requires states to implement electronic withholding of child support payments.  

Currently, the database will allow you to search or browse through laws that contain mandates as well bills reviewed by CBO that contained mandates for 2013-2015.  However, the CBO indicates more data will be added going forward.  The new tool is replacing the annual reports that the CBO previously published on the topic, but information about prior years is still available on their website.  To access the database, or for more information regarding the CBO’s work on unfunded mandates, see the CBO website.
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