State highway agencies no longer need to prove they hire fairly

The US Federal Highway Administration will no longer require state highway agencies to submit annual plans proving they follow equal employment opportunity rules. This means states will no longer need to track and report their hiring data or affirmative action plans to the federal government.

For decades, federal agencies required state-level organizations to report on their hiring practices to ensure compliance with civil rights laws. This rule change removes a specific reporting requirement, reducing administrative burden for state highway agencies. It also means one less federal check on how states manage diversity in their hiring for federally funded projects.