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Researching Administrative Rules

[ Generally | Online Finding Aids | Other Research Aids | Researching Other Law | Questions ]

Generally

Administrative rules are effective for specific periods of time. To determine a past obligation, or requirement, you may need to research historical administrative rules. The information on this page introduces you to the resources available.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind:

  • while some documents are available online going as far back as 1995, the Utah State Bulletin is available (PDF) from 01/01/1998, to the present;
  • electronic finding aids are available at the Division's office for rules filed after July 1, 1987;
  • researching rules prior to July 1, 1987, will require you to visit the Division's office and use paper finding aids (this will take time).

To research an administrative rule, you will need to know as much information as possible, like:

  • the name of the regulating agency;
  • the date the rule was filed;
  • the File Number (a five-digit number assigned by the Division of Administrative Rules)
  • the date the rule was published in the Utah State Bulletin;
  • the date the rule was made effective;
  • the code reference (begins with an "R").

Authentication

The Division of Administrative Rules has generated an MD5 hash for some of the files that can be downloaded from this page. An MD5 hash is, in essence, a signature for a file. You can confirm the integrity of the files you download by comparing the MD5 hash the Division generated with one that you generate. Various software packages are available that permit you to generate an MD5 hash such as MD5Summer (graphical user interface), winMD5Sum (graphical user interface), MD5SUMS (no graphical user interface), or File Checksum Integrity Verifier (no graphical user interface). If the hashes do not match exactly, then the integrity of the file is in question. Please contact the Division of Administrative Rules immediately if the hash numbers do not match.

 

Online Finding Aids

Administrative Rules Indexes

Current Indexes

With each issue of the Utah State Bulletin, the Division of Administrative Rules prepares an index. This index is organized by agency, and by subject (key word).

PLEASE NOTE: The index files linked to above may contain inaccurate page number references. Also the index is incomplete in the sense that index entries for Changes in Proposed Rules (CPRs) are not preceded by entries for their parent Proposed Rules. These difficulties with the index are related to the software application the Division uses to create the Bulletin and related publications; we hope to have them resolved as soon as the new version of the software is implemented. Bulletin issue information and effective date information presented in the index are, to the best of our knowledge, complete and accurate. If you have any questions regarding these indexes and the information they contains, please contact the Division.

Historical Indexes

Since 1992, statute has directed the division to compile the Utah Administrative Rules Index of Changes. The Index of Changes documents effective rule filings for the prior calendar year. The following editions are available in PDF format:

  • 2009 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/2008 through 01/01/2009
    (MD5 Hash: a829036f12e2ef17f26732ea3f1b4e7c);
  • 2008 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/2007 through 01/01/2008
    (MD5 Hash: 5eafcfb5b9a8902fc87ce743d858ee3d);
  • 2007 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/2006 through 01/01/2007
    (MD5 Hash: e524fadc6a1ebe7cf1dab72137392310);
  • 2006 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/2005 through 01/01/2006
    (MD5 Hash: 3767bfed99ddca6d5acf0099df519a95);
  • 2005 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/2004 through 01/01/2005
    (MD5 Hash: a79257e2b68c4c39b6d2448e120a51df);
  • 2004 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/2003 through 01/01/2004
    (MD5 Hash: 180c6f5ddd6b1bcc6a67776ad05c9a8d);
  • 2003 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/2002 through 01/01/2003
    (MD5 Hash: f993862f9cacb4c523b25ef923373213);
  • 2002 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/2001 through 01/01/2002
    (MD5 Hash: d961096dea253c3bb09e21e62282b9f7);
  • 2001 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/2000 through 01/01/2001
    (MD5 Hash: 6a25ad77b3bcd9dc9415c0e61221ff8d);
  • 2000 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/1999 through 01/01/2000
    (MD5 Hash: 53c847bf41a4d8da48e105e9ac487373);
  • 1999 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/1998 through 01/01/1999
    (MD5 Hash: efecc97c8b6706cd4e0bf44bc820a78a);
  • 1998 Index of Changes (PDF) indexing rules effective 01/02/1997 through 01/01/1998
    (MD5 Hash: 5d4288323dd4d4f1debfdbbd2f5c0d59).

If you require this information in another format, please contact the Division.

Administrative Rules Register (docket of rule filings)

Subsection 63G-3-402(1) requires the Division of Administrative Rules to "record in a register the receipt of all agency rules, rule analysis forms, and notices of effective dates" and to "make the register . . . available for public inspection. . . ." The Register is a docket of rule filings arranged chronologically.

  • 2009 Register (PDF) listing rules filed 12/2/2008 through the current issue of the Bulletin; or the 2009 Register in RTF format.
  • 2008 Register (PDF) listing rules filed 12/02/2007 through 12/01/2008
    (MD5 Hash: 3402011ad6c3aacb97e134eeb86d4e32)
  • 2007 Register (PDF) listing rules filed 12/02/2006 through 12/01/2007
    (MD5 Hash: f9b5c6e392bc5bfed243cfc07d7053e5).
  • 2006 Register (PDF) listing rules filed 12/02/2005 through 12/01/2006
    (MD5 Hash: 7c0f9851433f0397bc40da702ebf0df0).
  • 2005 Register (PDF) listing rules filed 12/02/2004 through 12/01/2005
    (MD5 Hash: 4b6b843e50539c3c1017e674f82e3e9c).
  • 2004 Register (PDF) listing rules filed 12/02/2003 through 12/01/2004
    (MD5 Hash: 87b1fe536ccdc3d2c64c17ceb7ece705).
  • 2003 Register (PDF) listing rules filed 12/03/2002 through 12/01/2003
    (MD5 Hash: 91b2fd4fafdc05912af887b9e6377b61).
  • 2002 Register (PDF) listing rules filed 12/03/2001 through 12/02/2002
    (MD5 Hash: 5d0ddb5d8edb8fb7cc07b48d0da1924b).

Please note: five-year extensions and expirations are temporarily coded as nonsubstantive changes due to a problem in eRules.  If you have any questions about what you find in the Register, or if you require this information in another format, please contact the Division.

References Cited

LexisNexis, a private publisher, has generated lists that correlate rules to other legal references, and other legal references to rules. If you want to know which rules implement a state statute, or which laws authorize, are implemented or interpreted by a rule, these tables are an invaluable reference.

Understanding the Terminology

The Division has prepared a rulemaking glossary to get you through the jargon of the process.

 

Other Research Aids

The Utah State Library staff has prepared an administrative rules research guide that was published in the March/April 2009 issue of the Utah Bar Journal (Vol. 22, No. 2). The Utah Bar Journal is available online.  A PDF version of the Journal can be found at http://www.utahbar.org/barjournal/pdf/2009_march_april.pdf.  The article begins on page 39 of the PDF document.  An HTML version of the article is available at http://webster.utahbar.org/barjournal/2009/03/researching_utah_administrative_law.html.

The Division of Administrative Rules staff is available to answer administrative rules research questions. However, the staff does not perform research. If you need to visit the Division's office to research rules, please contact the Division to schedule an appointment.

 

Researching Other Laws

Utah's administrative rules reference other laws, like the Utah Code, the United States Code, or the Code of Federal Regulations. The division has prepared a list of those reference with links to online editions.

 

Questions?

For questions about the rulemaking process, please contact the Division of Administrative Rules.