Syllabus

Short Course Description

The course delves into the characteristics, trends, institutions, key players, and processes associated with legislation, regulation, and their interconnection. It approaches these topics from the perspective of public law and draws upon theories of legislation and regulation rooted in various disciplines. The primary focus is on regulatory agencies and their activities in the realms of legislation, monitoring, and enforcement pertaining to businesses and companies. Although the emphasis is on Israel, the course also considers other countries. Engaging discussions on current cases and real-life issues will accompany the study of diverse subjects, including the cost of living, environmental regulation and the climate crisis, emergencies, consumer reforms in the food market, natural gas discoveries, supervision of insurance companies and banks, media regulation (television and journalism), and oversight of technology and internet companies.

The course will analyze several key topics, including influences on legislation and regulation within the frameworks of "regulatory capture" and "revolving doors." It will explore the development of regulatory law within Israeli jurisprudence, examine the Principles of Regulation Law - 2021, investigate legislation and regulation in the digital era, and highlight the significance of secondary legislation and its distinguishing features in comparison to primary legislation. Moreover, the course will explore soft regulatory tools, such as regulatory contracts, disclosure rules, voluntary programs, self-regulation, and regulatory shaming. It will also address transparency, accessibility, and public participation in legislation and regulation. The course will delve into the processes of legislation and regulation, assessing their efficiency and impacts through methods like Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA).

In addition to presenting new theoretical and empirical research in the field of legislation and regulation, the course will analyze influential Supreme Court rulings and notable legislative and regulatory frameworks. Guest lectures may also be incorporated into the course.