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Which government activities are commonly regulated by administrative law?
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Administrative law
Cartoon depicting a uniformed Interstate Commerce Commission officer shining a large searchlight on U.S. railroad executive Edward Henry Harriman, who is struggling to carry a large load of packages and toy trains, some labeled “merger.”
Administrative law governs the organization, powers, duties, and functions of public authorities within the executive branch of government. It regulates a wide range of activities performed by these agencies to ensure they operate efficiently and justly while serving the common good.1234
Commonly regulated government activities include:
- Public Services: The provision and management of public health, education, housing, and other essential social services.14
- Infrastructure and Planning: The construction and repair of highways, as well as town and country planning.3
- Public Order and Safety: Policing, fire-protection services, and traffic control.3
- Regulatory and Fiscal Functions: The collection of customs and excise duties, smoke abatement, and the provision of currency.3
- Administrative Enforcement: The exercise of powers such as quarantining infectious persons, slum clearance, and the enforcement of tax obligations.3
Because these agencies often possess specialized expertise, they are granted authority to make, interpret, and enforce rules. Administrative law provides the legal framework to control these powers, ensuring that government actions remain accountable and that individuals have access to judicial review or other remedies when their rights are infringed.512