What distinguishes a statute from a regulation?

A statute is a formal law enacted by a legislative body, such as a state legislature or Congress, which involves a specific legal process including proposal, debate, and voting. Statutes establish the framework for legal authority and are binding within their jurisdiction. In contrast, a regulation is formulated by administrative agencies based on the authority granted to them by statutes. Regulations are specific rules or guidelines created to enforce or explain the directives set out in statutes, often providing detailed standards that implement the broader legal principles established by law.

The distinction is crucial because it highlights the different levels of government action and authority: statutes reflect the will of the legislative body, while regulations are the means by which those statutes are put into practice by governmental agencies. This relationship ensures that regulations remain consistent with the underlying statutes, making regulation an essential component of the governance framework.

Other answer choices do not accurately reflect this relationship. For example, describing a regulation merely as a guideline underestimates its legal force and fails to convey its importance in the compliance and enforcement landscape. Saying that a statute is a recommendation misrepresents its nature as enforceable law. Finally, categorizing statutes strictly as local laws and regulations as federal laws ignores the fact that both can be established at various levels of government.