term:

Informal Rulemaking

informal rulemaking n

: rulemaking by a government agency in accordance with the provisions of section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act called also notice-and-comment rulemaking compare formal rulemaking NOTE: Section 553 requires that prior to the promulgation of a proposed rule notice of the rule or of the issues involved must be published in the Federal Register, followed by a period during which interested persons may submit data, views, comments, or arguments.

Source: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law ©1996. Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. Published under license with Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.