Title 20EducationRelease 119-73

§1232 Regulations

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 31— - GENERAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING EDUCATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS CONCERNING OPERATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS: GENERAL AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY › Part Part 2— - Administration: Requirements and Limitations › § 1232

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Require the Secretary or the Department to make rules for programs that give financial help. A "regulation" means any general rule, guideline, interpretation, or similar requirement the Secretary or the Department makes that has a legal effect on providing financial assistance. Every rule must show, right after each main part, the law or legal source it relies on. All rules must be applied the same way in all 50 States. The special exemption in 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2) (about public property, loans, grants, and benefits) only applies when the Secretary decides the rule is for the first grant competition under a new or heavily changed program, or when following that rule would cause extreme hardship for the program’s intended beneficiaries. Within 60 days after a law affecting a program is passed, the Secretary must give two Congressional committees a schedule showing when final rules needed to implement that law will be issued. All such final rules must be issued within 360 days after the law’s enactment. When final rules are published, the Secretary must also send a copy to the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §1232

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For the purpose of this section, the term “regulation” means any generally applicable rule, regulation, guideline, interpretation, or other requirement that—
(1)is prescribed by the Secretary or the Department; and
(2)has legally binding effect in connection with, or affecting, the provision of financial assistance under any applicable program.
(b)Regulations shall contain, immediately following each substantive provision of such regulations, citations to the particular section or sections of statutory law or other legal authority on which such provision is based.
(c)All regulations shall be uniformly applied and enforced throughout the 50 States.
(d)The exemption for public property, loans, grants and benefits in section 553(a)(2) of title 5 shall apply only to regulations—
(1)that govern the first grant competition under a new or substantially revised program authority as determined by the Secretary; or
(2)where the Secretary determines that the requirements of this subsection will cause extreme hardship to the intended beneficiaries of the program affected by such regulations.
(e)Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of any Act, or any portion of any Act, affecting the administration of any applicable program, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate a schedule in accordance with which the Secretary plans to promulgate final regulations that the Secretary determines are necessary to implement such Act or portion of such Act. Such schedule shall provide that all such final regulations shall be promulgated within 360 days after the date of enactment of such Act or portion of such Act.
(f)Concurrently with the publication of any final regulations, the Secretary shall transmit a copy of such final regulations to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 437 of Pub. L. 90–247 was renumbered section 443, and is classified to section 1232f of this title. Another prior section 437 of Pub. L. 90–247 was renumbered section 406A, and was classified to section 1221e–1a of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–382. Another prior section 437 of Pub. L. 90–247 was renumbered section 447, and was classified to section 1233f of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 103–382.

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–437, which directed that section 431(b)(2)(B), (d)(2), and (g) of Pub. L. 90–247 be amended by substituting “Labor and Human Resources” for “Labor and Public Welfare”, could not be executed because this section, which was section 431 of Pub. L. 90–247, was renumbered section 437 and amended generally by Pub. L. 103–382. Pub. L. 103–382, § 247, amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section consisted of subsecs. (a) to (g) relating to promulgation of

Regulations

by Secretary, and their publication, application, disapproval by Congress, and modification subsequent to disapproval. 1981—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 97–35 substituted “final regulation (except expected family contribution schedules and any

Amendments

thereto promulgated pursuant to section 1078(a)(2)(D) and (E) and 1089(a)(1) of this title) as required” for “final regulation as required”. 1980—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 96–374 inserted “, in whole or in part” after “disapprove such final regulation”. 1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–482, § 405(a), added par. (1), designated existing provisions which constituted entire subsec. (a) as par. (2) and, as so redesignated, struck out applicability to rules, guidelines, interpretations, or orders. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 94–482, § 405(b)(1), substituted “proposed regulation” for “standard, rule, regulation, or requirement of general applicability”. Subsec. (b)(2)(A). Pub. L. 94–482, § 405(b)(2), substituted “regulation” for “standard, rule, regulation, or general requirement” in two places. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 94–482, § 405(c), struck out applicability to rules, guidelines, interpretations, or orders. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 94–482, § 405(d)(1), (2), struck out applicability to standards, rules, requirements, or requirements of general applicability. Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 94–482, § 405(d)(3), substituted “regulation” for “standard, rule, regulation, or requirement” wherever appearing. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 94–482, § 405(e), substituted “regulation” for “standard, rule, regulation, or requirement” wherever appearing and “final regulation” for “proposed standard, rule, regulation, or requirement of general applicability”. Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 94–482, § 405(f), substituted “final

Regulations

” for “rules,

Regulations

, and guidelines” wherever appearing. 1975—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 94–142, § 7(a)(1), (b), inserted “final” before “standard” wherever appearing in existing provisions and inserted provisions covering the effect of the failure of Congress to adopt the concurrent resolution with respect to any final standard, rule, regulation, or requirement. Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 94–142, § 7(a)(2), (3), substituted “objection to the final standard” for “objection to the proposed standard”, “

Effective Date

of the final standard” for “

Effective Date

of the standard”, and “In no event shall the final standard” for “In no event shall the standard”. 1974—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 93–380, § 509(a)(1), designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2). Subsecs. (d) to (g). Pub. L. 93–380, § 509(a)(2), added subsecs. (d) to (g).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Education and Labor of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Education and the Workforce of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Eighteenth Congress, Jan. 9, 2023. Committee on Labor and Human Resources of Senate changed to Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of Senate by Senate Resolution No. 20, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 19, 1999.

Effective Date

of 1981 Amendment Pub. L. 97–35, title V, § 540(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 458, provided that the amendment made by Pub. L. 97–35 is effective Oct. 1, 1981.

Effective Date

of 1980 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 96–374 effective Oct. 1, 1980, see section 1393(a) of Pub. L. 96–374, set out as a note under section 1001 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1976 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 94–482 effective 30 days after Oct. 12, 1976, except either as specifically otherwise provided or, if not so specifically otherwise provided, effective July 1, 1976, for those

Amendments

providing for authorization of appropriations, see section 532 of Pub. L. 94–482, set out as a note under section 1001 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1975 Amendment Pub. L. 94–142, § 8, Nov. 29, 1975, 89 Stat. 796, provided that: “(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the

Amendments

made by section 2(a), 2(b), and 2(c) [amending section 1411 and 1412 of this title as in effect through Sept. 30, 1977, and amending provisions set out as notes under sections 1411 to 1413 of this title] shall take effect on July 1, 1975. “(b) The

Amendments

made by section 2(d), 2(e), 3, 6, and 7 [enacting section 1405 and 1406 of this title, amending this section and section 1412 and 1453 of this title, enacting provisions set out as a note under section 1411 of this title, and amending provisions set out as a note under section 1401 of this title] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 29, 1975]. “(c) The

Amendments

made by section 4 and 5(a) [enacting sections 1415 to 1420 of this title and amending section 1401, 1411, 1412, 1413, and 1414 of this title] shall take effect on October 1, 1977, except that the provisions of clauses (A), (C), (D), and (E) of paragraph (2) of section 612 of the Act [section 1412 of this title], as amended by this Act, section 617(a)(1)(D) of the Act [section 1417(a)(1)(D) of this title], as amended by this Act, section 617(b) of the Act [section 1417(b) of this title], as amended by this Act, and section 618(a) of the Act [section 1418(a) of this title], as amended by this Act, shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 29, 1975]. “(d) The provisions of section 5(b) [amending section 1411 of this title and enacting provisions set out as notes under section 1411 of this title] shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [Nov. 29, 1975].”

Effective Date

of 1974 Amendment Pub. L. 93–380, title V, § 509(b), Aug. 21, 1974, 88 Stat. 568, provided that: “The amendment made by paragraph (2) of subsection (a) [amending this section] shall be effective on the date of enactment of this [Aug. 21, 1974] and shall be effective with respect to the provisions of this Act [see

Short Title

note set out under section 821 of this title].” Study and Report on

Rules and Regulations

Pub. L. 92–318, title V, § 503, June 23, 1972, 86 Stat. 346, provided for a study by the Commissioner of all rules,

Regulations

, etc., in connection with the administration of any program to which the General Education Provisions Act [this chapter] applies, with a report to be submitted to Congress not later than one year after June 23, 1972. Such section further mandated the publication of all rules,

Regulations

, etc., in the Federal Register not later than 60 days after submission of such report, followed by a public hearing on such matters within the 60 day period following such publication. Such section then required a subsequent report to the relevant Congressional Committees on such hearings, and a republication of all

Rules and Regulations

in the Federal Register, such republished rules, etc., to supercede all preceding

Rules and Regulations

.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 1232

Title 20Education

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73