When the government proposes significant changes to federal regulations, the public needs adequate time to review the proposed changes and weigh in before new rules are finalized. That timeline is typically 60 or 90 days.Â
For the proposed decennial census rule, the initial public comment period was just 33 days, leaving insufficient time for Americans to parse the incredibly detailed proposal and its implications.
Thankfully, nearly 5,000 of you (4,943 as of the morning of October 2) requested an extension. The deadline has now been moved from October 13 to November 2.
While this extension shows the value of public input into the federal decisionmaking process, the new deadline still falls short of the 60-day comment period typically provided for proposals of this complexity and importance. We are continuing to encourage the public to request a 90-day comment period to ensure everyone has time to weigh in.
Be proud of what public input can achieve. Let's keep the momentum going!
👉 Visit handsoffourcens.us to learn about the proposed changes and submit your comment.