The Division of Administrative Rules has scheduled an update to the eRules application.  State agencies use eRules to file administrative rules and that the Division uses eRules to publish administrative rules in the Utah State Bulletin.  The changes in this update are in response to feedback the Division has received.

The update is scheduled for Wednesday, November 14 at 10 AM.  Users will be notified before the system is taken down.

This update includes a number of changes that will directly affect rulefilers.

1. The “Rule Filing List” that appears on the main screen has been changed.  A check box has been added next to the filter button to allow users to list all filings.  A new column has been added to show the filing effective date, if one has been set.  Column headings have now been enabled as links.  Clicking a column heading link will sort the column content for all filings that appear on the screen.  Filter options have been debugged so that the “Date Range” filter no longer conflicts with the “Year Filter”.
2. A form may now be saved as a draft without completing the “Agency Authorization” section.
3. The “incorporation materials” fields (box 11) have been changed.  Field names have been clarified to provide better instructions.  For incorporated materials that have a complete date as the issue date, use the “Date Issued (mm/dd/yyyy)” field.  For materials that have only a partial date (month and year, or just year), use “Issue, or version (including partial dates)” field.  A bug that prevented the “Add Additional Materials” button from working properly has been resolved.
4. eRules now requires rulefilers to use Firefox or Internet Explorer.  DTS developed eRules to work with Firefox and Internet Explorer.  Using other browsers circumvents the edit checks built into eRules that prevent incomplete filings from being submitted.
5. Content in the “Attention” box on the initial screen has been updated.  Support hours have been corrected.
6. The Notice of Effective Date form has been updated.  In box 3, the field name has been changed to “Effective Date: (mm/dd/yyyy)” to clarify the date format required.  The system will not permit the effective date to be entered with hyphens.  In addition, the effective date field now validates that the effective date entered falls within the parameters set by statute (from seven days following the close of public comment through 120 days after publication).  PLEASE NOTE:  This change to eRules will change the way agencies process effective dates for filings on which they have submitted a Change in Proposed Rule (CPR).  Before this change, the Division asked agencies to make both a Notice of Change in Proposed Rule, and the Notice of Proposed Rule upon which the CPR was based, effective at the same time.  Now, the agency will make only the final Notice of Change in Proposed Rule effective.  The Division will set the effective date for the corresponding Notice of Proposed Rule.  The end result is still the same:  when a change in proposed rule is made effective, all of the underlying filings on which it is based must also be made effective (see Subsection 63G-3-303(1)).

The left navigation links have been modified.  Now, an agency rulefiler will see only those filing types the rulefiler is authorized to submit. Other changes that affect the publication side of the eRules application are also included in this update to eRules.

1. The underlying software on which eRules relies to create the Utah State Bulletin (OpenOffice.org) has been updated.  This resolves several publication production problems.
2. The output of the Utah State Digest was updated to make formatting consistent throughout the document and minimize editing required prior to distribution.
3. DTS verified that the e-mail notification functions of eRules will continue to function as the state migrates to Gmail.

Questions about these changes may be directed to Mike Broschinsky (801-538-3003).

On August 24 and August 25, several changes were made to the eRules application.  Three of the changes were based on feedback we received from agency rule filers.  We hope that they will improve the usability of the application.  These changes:

• fix the problem of old, resolved correction notice reappearing when a new correction is requested;
• add text to the login page indicating that only Firefox and Internet Explorer are supported browsers and increase the size of the “Login” link; and
• add text in the left navigation menu under “Proposed Rule Types” that lists the different types of proposed rules, all of which can be filed by clicking on the “Proposed Rule Types” link.

Notice of these changes was sent out over the eRules ListServ.  If you aren’t receiving those notices, and you’d like to, or if you have questions about these changes to eRules, please contact Mike Broschinsky at 801-538-3003.

The next time you file a rule, look at the names listed under the “Contact Person(s)” and “Agency head or designee” scroll boxes.  If the names listed for your agency are not current or complete, please send an e-mail to “Administrative Rules” or rules “at” utah.gov and notify us of changes.   We use the contact information in eRules to notify agencies of rules due for review, rules about to expire and lapse, to forward questions about your agency’s rules, and for other communications.