[The Regulatory Plan and Unified Agenda of Federal Regulations]
[Railroad Retirement Board Regulatory Plan]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]


RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD (RRB)
Statement of Regulatory Priorities
The Railroad Retirement Board administers a retirement program for 
railroad workers and their families under the Railroad Retirement Act 
of 1974, and an unemployment and sickness benefit program for railroad 
workers under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. Regulations 
issued by the Railroad Retirement Board under these two statutes, and 
certain Governmentwide statutes, are contained in chapter II of title 
20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
The Board has been involved in a multiyear project to review, revise, 
and update its regulations. During this project, the Board has 
published final rules amending nearly all of its regulations. In 
addition, there are several regulations actively under consideration by 
the Board at this time. The Board's short-term plan is to publish final 
regulations to complete the total review and revision project 
undertaken previously.
The regulations issued by the Railroad Retirement Board are virtually 
all interpretive rather than legislative in nature. These regulations 
are designed to be informative and to assist the agency's constituents 
understand the benefit systems administered by the Board. In 
promulgating regulations, the agency is mindful of the burdens that may 
be imposed on the public and crafts its regulations in such a way as to 
impose the least possible burden on the public. In addition, through 
regulation, the Board makes every effort to simplify and streamline 
administration of the programs it administers. We believe that the 
Board's regulatory review program is consistent with the priorities and 
objectives of the Administration.
_______________________________________________________________________
RRB
            ___________________________________________________________
PROPOSED RULE STAGE
            ___________________________________________________________
188. EMPLOYERS UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT; EMPLOYERS UNDER THE 
RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACT
Legal Authority:


 45 USC 231f; 45 USC 362(l)


CFR Citation:


 20 CFR 202; 20 CFR 301


Legal Deadline:


None


Abstract:


These regulations revise existing part 202 of the Board's regulations 
defining entities covered under the Railroad Retirement Act and 
Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act to reflect current law and 
administrative determinations that have occurred since the regulations 
were originally adopted.


Statement of Need:


The Board's present regulations under part 202 were, for the most part, 
adopted in the 1930s and 1940s and do not reflect current case law and 
the Board's policy and practice adopted as a result of case-by-case 
adjudication.


Summary of the Legal Basis:


The general authority for issuance of regulations under the Railroad 
Retirement Act is provided for in section 7(b)(5) of the Act (45 USC 
231f(b)(5)).


Alternatives:


None.


Anticipated Costs and Benefits:


There will be no additional costs or burdens imposed by this regulation 
over and above those imposed by the statute or existing regulation.


Risks:


None.


Timetable:
_______________________________________________________________________
Action                                 DFR Cite

_______________________________________________________________________
NPRM                                                           09/00/95
Small Entities Affected:


None


Government Levels Affected:


Federal


Sectors Affected:


 40 Railroad Transportation


Agency Contact:
Thomas W. Sadler
Assistant General Counsel
Bureau of Law
Railroad Retirement Board
844 Rush Street
Chicago, IL 60611
312 751-4513
RIN: 3220-AA51
_______________________________________________________________________
RRB
189. COMPUTING EMPLOYEE, SPOUSE, AND DIVORCED SPOUSE ANNUITIES
Legal Authority:


 45 USC 231f(b)(5)


CFR Citation:


 20 CFR 226


Legal Deadline:


None


Abstract:


These regulations update the computation of retirement annuities under 
the Railroad Retirement Act.


Statement of Need:


The Board's present regulations do not reflect current law. These 
regulations will explain the computation of retirement annuities in a 
manner understandable to persons applying for benefits.


Summary of the Legal Basis:


The general authority for issuance of regulations under the Railroad 
Retirement Act is provided for in section 7(b)(5) of the Act (45 USC 
231f(b)(5)).


Alternatives:


None.


Anticipated Costs and Benefits:


There will be no additional costs or burdens imposed by this regulation 
over and above those imposed by the statute or existing regulation.


Risks:


None.


Timetable:
_______________________________________________________________________
Action                                 DFR Cite

_______________________________________________________________________
NPRM                                                           12/00/94
Small Entities Affected:


None


Government Levels Affected:


None


Agency Contact:
Thomas W. Sadler
Assistant General Counsel
Bureau of Law
Railroad Retirement Board
844 Rush Street
Chicago, IL 60611
312 751-4513
RIN: 3220-AA58
_______________________________________________________________________
RRB
190. EMPLOYERS' CONTRIBUTIONS AND CONTRIBUTION REPORTS
Legal Authority:


 45 USC 362(l); 45 USC 358(a)(19)


CFR Citation:


 20 CFR 345


Legal Deadline:


None


Abstract:


These regulations describe how experience-rated contributions are 
determined under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act.


Statement of Need:


The Board is required by statute to adopt a regulation to cover the 
computation of the experience-based rate in cases involving mergers, 
sales and partitions.


Summary of the Legal Basis:


The general authority for issuance of regulations under the Railroad 
Unemployment Insurance Act is 45 USC 362(l). Additional authority with 
respect to this part is found at 45 USC 358(a)(19).


Alternatives:


None.


Anticipated Costs and Benefits:


There will be no additional costs or burdens imposed by this regulation 
over and above those imposed by the statute or existing regulation.


Risks:


None.


Timetable:
_______________________________________________________________________
Action                                 DFR Cite

_______________________________________________________________________
NPRM                                                           03/00/95
Small Entities Affected:


None


Government Levels Affected:


Federal


Agency Contact:
Thomas W. Sadler
Assistant General Counsel
Bureau of Law
Railroad Retirement Board
844 Rush Street
Chicago, IL 60611
312 751-4513
RIN: 3220-AA79
_______________________________________________________________________
RRB
            ___________________________________________________________
FINAL RULE STAGE
            ___________________________________________________________
191. RECOVERY OF OVERPAYMENTS
Legal Authority:


 45 USC 231f


CFR Citation:


 20 CFR 255


Legal Deadline:


None


Abstract:


Part 255 is being revised to clarify when and how erroneous payments 
must be recovered under the Railroad Retirement Act.


Statement of Need:


The Board's present regulations do not reflect current Board policies 
with respect to waiver of overpayments under the RRA. Railroad 
retirement annuitants should be made aware of such policies. This 
regulation will clarify the Board's policy and practice with respect to 
debt collection.


Summary of the Legal Basis:


The general authority for issuance of regulations under the Railroad 
Retirement Act is provided for in section 7(b)(5) of the Act (45 USC 
231f(b)(5)).


Alternatives:


None.


Anticipated Costs and Benefits:


This regulation should result in savings in administrative costs 
associated with protests and appeals in debt recovery cases.


Risks:


None.


Timetable:
_______________________________________________________________________
Action                                 DFR Cite

_______________________________________________________________________
NPRM            56 FR 47426                                    09/19/91
NPRM Comment Per56 FR 47426                                    10/21/91
Final Action                                                   12/00/94
Small Entities Affected:


None


Government Levels Affected:


Federal


Agency Contact:
Thomas W. Sadler
Assistant General Counsel
Bureau of Law
Railroad Retirement Board
844 Rush Street
Chicago, IL 60611
312 751-4513
RIN: 3220-AA44
_______________________________________________________________________
RRB
192. EMPLOYEES UNDER THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACT
Legal Authority:


 45 USC 231f; 45 USC 362(l)


CFR Citation:


 20 CFR 203


Legal Deadline:


None


Abstract:


These regulations revise existing part 203 of the Board's regulations 
defining employees covered under the Railroad Retirement Act and 
Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act to reflect current law and 
administrative determinations that have occurred since the regulations 
were originally adopted.


Statement of Need:


The Board's present regulations under part 203 were, for the most part, 
adopted in the 1930s and 1940s and do not reflect current case law and 
the Board's policy and practice adopted as a result of case-by-case 
adjudication.


Summary of the Legal Basis:


The general authority for issuance of regulations under the Railroad 
Retirement Act is provided for in section 7(b)(5) of the Act (45 USC 
231f(b)(5)).


Alternatives:


None.


Anticipated Costs and Benefits:


There will be no additional costs or burdens imposed by this regulation 
over and above those imposed by the statute or existing regulation.


Risks:


None.


Timetable:
_______________________________________________________________________
Action                                 DFR Cite

_______________________________________________________________________
NPRM            54 FR 318                                      01/05/89
NPRM Comment Per54 FR 318                                      02/06/89
Final Action                                                   09/00/95
Small Entities Affected:


None


Government Levels Affected:


State, Federal


Sectors Affected:


 40 Railroad Transportation


Agency Contact:
Thomas W. Sadler
Assistant General Counsel
Bureau of Law
Railroad Retirement Board
844 Rush Street
Chicago, IL 60611
312 751-4513
RIN: 3220-AA52
_______________________________________________________________________
RRB
193. SURVIVOR ANNUITY COMPUTATIONS
Legal Authority:


 45 USC 231f(f)(5)


CFR Citation:


 20 CFR 228


Legal Deadline:


None


Abstract:


These regulations update the computation of survivor annuities under 
the Railroad Retirement Act.


Statement of Need:


The Board's present regulations do not reflect current law. These 
regulations will explain the computation of survivor annuities in a 
manner understandable to individuals applying for benefits.


Summary of the Legal Basis:


The general authority for issuance of regulations under the Railroad 
Retirement Act is provided for in section 7(b)(5) of the Act (45 USC 
231f(b)(5)).


Alternatives:


None.


Anticipated Costs and Benefits:


There will be no additional costs or burdens imposed by this regulation 
over and above those imposed by the statute or existing regulation.


Risks:


None.


Timetable:
_______________________________________________________________________
Action                                 DFR Cite

_______________________________________________________________________
NPRM            58 FR 51024                                    09/30/93
NPRM Comment Per58 FR 51024                                    11/01/93
Final Action                                                   12/00/94
Small Entities Affected:


None


Government Levels Affected:


None


Agency Contact:
Thomas W. Sadler
Assistant General Counsel
Bureau of Law
Railroad Retirement Board
844 Rush Street
Chicago, IL 60611
312 751-4513
RIN: 3220-AA59
BILLING CODE 7905-01-F