The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) wants to make it easier for individuals to have a say in how credit bureaus, auto finance companies and other providers of financial services are regulated by the agency.

Last week, in an effort for what the CFPB described as an easier path for the public to engage meaningfully with the agency and request regulatory changes, the bureau said members of the public now can submit petitions for rulemaking directly to the CFPB.

The petitions will be posted on public dockets for review and comment, according to a CFPB news release.

“Americans should be able to easily exercise their Constitutional rights without hiring a high-priced lawyer or lobbyist,” CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said about the initiative that officially began on Wednesday. “Our new program will broaden access to the agency’s rulemaking process.”

The bureau reiterated that the U.S. Constitution guarantees the public’s right to petition the government. While members of the public have long had the ability to comment on rules and other initiatives, the CFPB said many individuals and small businesses believe that they must hire former government officials, lawyers, or lobbyists in order to be heard by an agency.

The bureau explained these reforms will make it easier for individuals to directly submit a petition for rulemaking to the CFPB.

Members of the public can request that the agency pursue a new rule, amend an existing one, or repeal a rule.

“Former government employees and other individuals who are paid to influence the agency’s rulemaking agenda behind the scenes will be asked to submit their petition for public inspection instead,” the CFPB said in the news release.

“The CFPB is committed to transparency and listening to the concerns, suggestions, and ideas of the public it serves. The public’s petitions will help the CFPB identify consumer protection issues worthy of reform, rulemaking, or in need of further clarification,” the bureau continued.

CFPB officials pointed out that this new process is in line with recommendations issued by the Administrative Conference of the United States for improving transparency and ensuring that the public has a meaningful opportunity to petition the government.

The bureau went on to mention that this announcement is part of a series of steps the CFPB is taking to ensure “high standards of transparency and ethics, particularly when it comes to addressing the corrosive effects of the ‘revolving door.’”

The CFPB recently announced new staff guidance to report former government employees that may be misusing information they obtained while working in the government.

The bureau added that consumer complaints about specific financial products or services should be submitted through the CFPB’s complaint website.