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Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 10, 2025
Prove It Act of 2025
This bill expands the requirements for federal agency rulemaking with respect to small businesses, organizations, and governmental jurisdictions.
Specifically, when conducting an initial regulatory flexibility analysis, agencies must include, where feasible, any reasonably foreseeable indirect costs the proposed rule may impose on small entities.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Further, if an agency certifies that an initial regulatory flexibility analysis is not required because the rule will not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, the agency must provide such certification within 10 days to the Office of Advocacy of the Small Business Administration. A small entity or group of small entities may petition the Office of Advocacy to review such certification. The petition must include specified information, such as the issues the petitioner believes should be addressed and a proposed solution to the issues raised.
If the Office of Advocacy ultimately determines, upon a full review of the petition, that the proposed rule would have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities, the agency promulgating the rule must perform an initial and final regulatory flexibility analysis for the rule. Additionally, if the agency does not participate or assist in the full review process, the finalized rule shall not apply to small entities.
The bill also requires agencies to publish, and allow for comments on, all guidance documents with respect to any rule an agency determines is likely to have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.
People & committees
Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA] · R–IA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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