Revises the Administrative Procedure Act to require public notice of agency rulemaking proceedings when promulgating interpretive rules…

Official title: A bill to amend the Administrative Procedure Act to allow affected parties a fair opportunity to comment upon notices of proposed rulemaking published in the Federal Register, to allow for the orderly extension of time for filing of comments and for the holding of hearings regarding contested matters, and to assure affected parties of full and fair opportunity to comment upon agency rulemaking.

Revises the Administrative Procedure Act to require public notice of agency rulemaking proceedings when promulgating interpretive rules, general statements of policy, or rules of agency organization, procedure, or practice, unless such rules apply only to agency management. Requires that agencies allow persons interested in commenting on any proposed rule to make such comment after notice of any rulemaking proceeding has been published. Provides an automatic extension of 30 days for the submission of comments upon such proposed rule, with specified restrictions and exceptions. States that, upon request of any interested party, the agency shall be required to conduct public hearings on the merits of proposed rules. States that the requirements of this Act apply with equal force to proposed rules which have been modified substantially following their initial publication.