Miscellaneous amendments to the HHS procurement regulations--HHS. Final rule

The Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services is amending its procurement regulations by revising and updating the general provisions for use in fixed price and cost-reimbursement type contracts (HHS-314,-315,-315A, and-316) and related miscellaneous amendments. The revisions will result in the consolidation of all additions, removals and revisions to the general provisions. The effect of the amendment will be the updating of the Department's general provisions.     

Standards Improvement Project-Phase II. Final rule

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) through this final rule is continuing to remove and revise provisions of its standards that are outdated, duplicative, unnecessary, or inconsistent, or can be clarified or simplified by being written in plain language. The Agency completed Phase I of the Standards Improvement Project in June 1998. In this Phase II of the Standards Improvement Project, OSHA is again revising or removing a number of health provisions in its standards for general industry, shipyard employment, and construction. The Agency believes that the changes streamline and make more consistent the regulatory requirements in OSHA health and safety standards. In some cases, OSHA has made substantive revisions to requirements because they are outdated, duplicative, unnecessary, or inconsistent with more recently promulgated health standards. The Agency believes these revisions will reduce regulatory requirements for employers without reducing employee protection.     

Medicare program; self-implementing coverage and payments provisions: 1990 legislation--HCFA. Confirmation of final rule

This document confirms our revisions to Medicare regulations published on August 12, 1992 (57 FR 36006). The revisions conformed the regulations to certain self-implementing provisions on coverage of services and payment requirements. The provisions were included under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 and the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act of 1983. We also respond to the comments we received on the revisions to the regulations.     

Health care programs: fraud and abuse; revised OIG sanction authorities resulting from Public Law 105-33--OIG. Notice of proposed rulemaking

This rulemaking proposes revisions to the OIG's exclusion and civil money penalty authorities set forth in 42 CFR parts 1001, 1002 and 1003, resulting from the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, Public Law 105-33. These proposed revisions are intended to protect and strengthen Medicare and State health care programs by increasing the OIG's anti-fraud and abuse authority through new or revised exclusion and civil money penalty provisions.     

Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network; final rule revision of comment period and effective dates--HRSA. Extension of comment period and delay of effective date for the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network

This document sets forth the revisions required by the Fiscal Year 1998 Supplemental Appropriations Act, Public Law 105-174, signed into law by the President on May 1, 1998. Section 4002 of that Act states that public comments on the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) Final Rule are permitted until August 31, 1998, and that the OPTN rule will not become effective before October 1, 1998. This document is provided to notify the public about these provisions and to make corresponding changes to the regulation.     

Standards applicable to owners and operators of hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities: liability requirements. Environmental Protection Agency. Revised interim final rule

The Environmental Protection Agency is today revising regulations of January 12, 1981, on liability coverage requirements for hazardous waste facility owners or operators. Under these requirements, owners or operators must demonstrate liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage to third parties resulting from facility operations. The major revisions are: addition of the option of a financial test as a means of demonstrating liability coverage to satisfy the requirements; addition of the option of submitting a certificate of insurance as evidence of insurance; and changes in the requirements for the endorsement and certificate. In a future document, EPA will propose to delete two provisions of the January 12, 1981 regulations. These provisions are: the procedure to obtain a variance for liability coverage requirements; and the provision allowing an owner or operator to use State assumption of legal responsibility for liability coverage to satisfy the liability requirements. The January 12, 1981, regulations were issued under an accelerated schedule imposed by a court order. The revisions that are being made today are necessary to eliminate unworkable aspects of the previous regulations, improve their effectiveness, and allow reasonable flexibility in satisfying the requirements.     

Revision of Department of Justice Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act Regulations and Implementation of Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996--DoJ. Proposed Rule

This document sets forth proposed revision of the Department's regulations under both the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act of 1974. The FOIA and Privacy Act regulations have been streamlined and condensed, in accordance with the principles of the National Performance Reviews. With more "user-friendly" language wherever possible. These revisions also reflect the principles established by President Clinton and Attorney General Reno in their FOIA Policy Memoranda of October 4, 1993. The new statement of discretionary disclosure policy will supercede the existing regulation regarding discretionary access to records of historical interest. Additionally, the regulations have been updated to reflect developments in the case law and to include updated cost figures to be used in calculating and charging fees. These proposed revisions also contain new provisions implementing the Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments of 1996.     

TRICARE; certain survivors of deceased active duty members; and adoption intermediaries. Interim final rule

This interim final rule implements two provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 (NDAA FY06), Public Law 109-163. First, Section 715 of the NDAA FY06 extends the time frame certain dependents of Active Duty Service Members (ADSM) who die while on active duty for more than 30 days shall receive TRICARE medical benefits at active duty dependent payment rates. Second, Section 592 of the NDAA FY06 modifies the requirement for those intermediaries who provide adoption placements. Additionally, this interim final rule makes an administrative clarification to the following two eligibility provisions: those placed in the legal custody of a member or former member; and those placed in the home of a member or former member in anticipation of adoption. This clarification makes a distinction between the two groups and specifies that for placement into legal custody by court order, the court order must be for a period of 12 consecutive months. Public comments are invited and will be considered for possible revisions to the final rule.     

Uniform administrative requirements for grants and agreements with institutions of higher education, hospitals, other non-profit, and commercial organizations--Department of Commerce. Interim final rule

This interim final rule implements the revisions to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-110, "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements With Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations" which was published in the Federal Register on November 29, 1993. The revised Circular was developed by an interagency task force for governmentwide use in a model rule format to facilitate regulatory adoption by executive departments and agencies. In the published revised Circular, OMB specified as "required action" that Federal agencies responsible for awarding and administering grants and other agreements to recipients described therein, shall adopt the language of the Circular unless other provisions are required by Federal statute or exceptions or deviations are approved by OMB. This interim final rule adopts the provisions of the Circular and its language to the maximum extent feasible. However, minor changes were made to update the procedures, clarify the language, and make the language apply specifically to the DoC and its operating units. No changes are intended to deviate from the substance of Circular A-110. The Circular covers both grants and cooperative agreements made by Federal agencies and subawards, unless sections of the Circular specifically exclude subrecipients from coverage. Consistent with guidance provided in the Circular, DoC will apply its provisions to grants and agreements with institutions of higher education, hospitals, other nonprofit, and commercial organizations. The provisions of the interim final rule will also apply to foreign governments, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign governments, and international organizations when appropriate.     

法律修改时条文序号整理模式分析

修改法律要伴随着法律条文序号的整理,在我国的立法实践中,基本上是采用全部条文重排的模式。但是,在法律修改时采用全部条文序号重排模式具有严重的弊端,容易引起相关法律制度不必要的连锁修改,容易导致因修改法律而产生技术性的疏漏,容易扰乱法律共同体的集体记忆,容易妨碍对既有法学文献的顺畅阅读。因此,在法律修改时根据条文删除或增加的情况,选用适当的条文序号整理模式是有很大社会效益的立法技术措施。     

UCP法律适用若干问题释疑

作为世界上最成功的国际惯例之一,UCP在以信用证为结算手段的国际交易中被广泛运用.除却广为关注的UCP实体规定的历次修订外,从法律适用角度看UCP,也有很多重要的问题需予以明确.例如UCP是否依据其规定自动适用,是否适用于所有当事人,若当事人没有选择适用UCP时.能否运用UCP的规定规制其间的信用证法律关系,其依据又是如何等等.这些问题的解决对适用UCP具有先决意义,也对信用证实践的当事人具有指导作用.     

Revisions to the requirements applicable to blood, blood components, and source plasma; confirmation in part and technical amendment. Food and Drug Administration, HHS. Direct final rule; confirmation in part and technical amendment

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is confirming in part the direct final rule issued in the Federal Register of August 19, 1999. The direct final rule amends the biologics regulations by removing, revising, or updating specific regulations applicable to blood, blood components, and Source Plasma to be more consistent with current practices in the blood industry and to remove unnecessary or outdated requirements. FDA is confirming the provisions for which no significant adverse comments were received. The agency received significant adverse comments on certain provisions and is amending Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations to reinstate the former provisions.     

Revisions to rules of conduct and standards of responsibility for representatives. Final rules

We are revising our rules of conduct and standards of responsibility for representatives. These revisions further clarify our expectations regarding representatives' obligations to competently represent their clients and constitute official notice concerning our requirements and procedures. We are also updating other rules about the representation of parties. These changes are necessary because our current regulations are insufficient to address some representative conduct that is inappropriate, but has technically fallen outside the scope of our regulations. These changes will allow us to better protect the integrity of our administrative process, ensure that claimants receive competent and effective representation, and further clarify representatives' responsibilities in their dealings with us and with claimants.     

Tricare; Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS); nonavailability statement requirement for maternity care. Office of the Secretary, DoD. Interim final rule

This interim final rule implements Section 712(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Pub. L. No. 106-65), which requires that a nonavailability-of-health-care statement shall be required for a non-enrolled beneficiary for TRICARE cost-share of maternity care services related to outpatient prenatal, outpatient or inpatient delivery, and outpatient post-partum care subsequent to the visit which confirms the pregnancy. The Act reestablishes a requirement which was previously eliminated under the broad direction of The National Defense Authorization Act of FY 1997, section 734, which removed authority for nonavailability statements (NASs) for outpatient services. Therefore, the Act changes the existing provisions require an NAS for inpatient delivery but do not require an NAS for outpatient prenatal and post-partum care. The change will significantly contribute to continuity of care for maternity patients. In furtherance of that principle, and consistent with the previous policy, an NAS for maternity care shall not be required when a beneficiary has other health insurance for primary coverage. This is being issued as an interim final rule in order to comply with the statutory mandate. Public comments, however, are invited and will be considered in connection with possible revisions to this rule.     

Revision of requirements applicable to albumin (human), plasma protein fraction (human), and immune globulin (human); confirmation in part and technical amendment. Food and Drug Administration, HHS. Direct final rule; confirmation in part and technical amendment

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is confirming in part the direct final rule that appeared in the Federal Register of May 14, 1999 (64 FR 26282). The direct final rule amends the biologics regulations by removing, revising, or updating specific regulations applicable to blood derivative products to be more consistent with current practices and to remove unnecessary or outdated requirements. FDA is confirming the provisions for which no significant adverse comments were received. The agency received significant adverse comments on certain provisions and is hereby amending Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations to reinstate the former provisions. In addition, FDA is correcting the precision of the value for protein concentration that was inadvertently omitted from the codified section of the direct final rule.     

论我国刑法分则规范的完善--以总分则之关系的合理定位为切入点

以刑法总则与分则之关系的合理定位为切入点,我们不难发现:刑法分则的不少条文并不符合刑法总则"但书"的规定;刑法分则的不少条文不符合刑法总则第14条、第15条的规定;刑法分则的不少条文不符合刑法总则关于数罪并罚的规定.另外,刑法分则将预备行为、教唆行为、帮助行为纳入到分则规范之中;具体犯罪的法定刑以犯罪既遂为模式;刑法分则规定特别自首制度、累犯制度,所有这些都不符合刑法总则与分则之关系的合理定位.相应地,这些分则条文应予完善.     

宪法基本国策条款如何进入税法“总则”——规制时代税收法典化的困境及其破解

税法“总则”是落实税收法定原则、实现税法体系化的基本形态,亦是税收法典化的基础性工程。然而,规制时代下“解法典化”的趋势,使得税收法典化陷入规范封闭性与现实开放性之间矛盾的困境。宪法基本国策条款的客观法秩序性质,使得其在具备规范拘束力的同时能够保持结构的开放性,赋予国家义务的同时通过“反射性利益”及其主观化来保护公民的权利。由此,宪法基本国策条款可以成为破解税收法典化困境的有效路径。具体而言,宪法财政基本国策条款确立的发展导向需要通过税法“总则”的立法目的条款予以具体化。在坚持适度法典化的通则法定位基础上,以量能课税原则、受益原则和国家辅助原则的多元互补重塑税收公平的内涵,并在程序保障之下,通过立法沟通机制,最终形成“规则—责任”相衔接的立法体例。