H.R. 1605: SOPRA

This bill, titled the "Separation of Powers Restoration Act of 2025" (SOPRA), proposes to amend existing legal provisions regarding how courts review actions taken by federal agencies. The key changes include:

Amendments to Judicial Review Procedures

• The bill modifies Section 706 of Title 5 of the United States Code, which outlines how courts review agency actions.
• It changes the wording to clarify that courts will review legal questions de novo, meaning they will consider the facts and laws of the case from the beginning, rather than deferring to agency interpretations.
• It specifies that this de novo review applies to any civil action for judicial review of agency actions, creating a uniform standard that is applicable across all relevant cases.
• Any law that aims to exempt an action from this review standard must specifically reference this section to be valid.

Impact on Agency Interpretations

The intent of these amendments is to ensure that courts have the authority to interpret laws and agency rules more independently. This could lead to more cases being decided without reliance on agency reasoning, which some view as a potential increase in checks and balances over federal regulatory power.

Broader Implications

The changes may affect how federal agencies operate and their ability to implement regulations in their specified areas. It could lead to more litigation and alter the dynamics between federal agencies, the courts, and the subjects of those regulations, including businesses and individuals subject to federal regulations.

Relevant Companies

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