(a) In General.—Not later than July 1, 2016, and not later than January 15 of every year thereafter, and subject to subsections (c) and (d), the head of each agency shall—“(1) in accordance with subsection (b), adjust each civil monetary penalty provided by law within the jurisdiction of the Federal agency, except for any penalty (including any addition to tax and additional amount) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [26 U.S.C. 1 et seq.] or the Tariff Act of 1930 [19 U.S.C. 1202 et seq.], by the inflation adjustment described under section 5 of this Act; and
“(2) publish each such adjustment in the Federal Register.
“(b) Procedures for Adjustments.—“(1) Catch up adjustment.—For the first adjustment made under subsection (a) after the date of enactment of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015 [Nov. 2, 2015]—“(A) the head of an agency shall adjust civil monetary penalties through an interim final rulemaking; and
“(B) the adjustment shall take effect not later than August 1, 2016.
“(2) Subsequent adjustments.—For the second adjustment made under subsection (a) after the date of enactment of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, and each adjustment thereafter, the head of an agency shall adjust civil monetary penalties and shall make the adjustment notwithstanding section 553 of title 5, United States Code.
“(c) Exception.—For the first adjustment made under subsection (a) after the date of enactment of the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, the head of an agency may adjust the amount of a civil monetary penalty by less than the otherwise required amount if—“(1) the head of the agency, after publishing a notice of proposed rulemaking and providing an opportunity for comment, determines in a final rule that—“(A) increasing the civil monetary penalty by the otherwise required amount will have a negative economic impact; or
“(B) the social costs of increasing the civil monetary penalty by the otherwise required amount outweigh the benefits; and
“(2) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget concurs with the determination of the head of the agency under paragraph (1).
“(d) Other Adjustments Made.—If a civil monetary penalty subject to a cost-of-living adjustment under this Act is, during the 12 months preceding a required cost-of-living adjustment, increased by an amount greater than the amount of the adjustment required under subsection (a), the head of the agency is not required to make the cost-of-living adjustment for that civil monetary penalty in that year.
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