New regs for Tuesday: Bullet-proof vests, international adoptions, air pollution

Tuesday’s edition of the Federal Register contains new rules for the bullet-proof vests used by police officers, international adoption agencies, air pollution, and foreign tax credits.

Here’s what is happening:

Adoption: The Department of State is moving forward with new rules for international adoption service providers to protect children.

The accreditation requirements will apply to more adoption agencies working in countries that were previously not covered by the rules. 

The State Department is updating the standards since they were originally published last July. The final rules go into effect immediately.

Body armor: The Department of Justice (DOJ) is issuing with new guidelines for bullet-proof vests used by law enforcement officers.

The DOJ’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ) on Monday released new recommendations for the selection, procurement, use, care, and maintenance of ballistic-resistant body armor.

The DOJ said it is also in the process of developing guidelines for stab-resistant body armor.

Air pollution: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is moving forward with new compliance requirements for factories producing certain hazardous emissions. 

The EPA issued emissions standards for radionuclide emissions in 1989, but said Monday it is issuing new compliance requirements to measure whether companies are following the rules.

“Some of these facilities handle significant amounts of radioactive material that could potentially be emitted into the air in various chemical and physical states,” the EPA wrote.

Miners: The Department of Labor is delaying new safety standards for miners.

The Labor Department’s Mine Safety and Health Administration proposed new rules to protect miners health and safety last July, but announced Monday it is reopening the comment period.

The new rules include procedures for assessing civil penalties against mines that don’t comply.

The public has until March 31 to comment.

Taxes: The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is moving forward with new rules for reporting foreign income taxes.

The rules will apply to taxpayers applying for foreign tax credits, the IRS noted.

The rules go into effect immediately.