[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 211 (Monday, November 2, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58705-58706]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29192]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


Survey of Program Dynamics--1999

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before January 4, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument and instructions should 
be directed to Michael McMahon, Bureau of the Census, FOB 3, Room 3375, 
Washington, DC 20233-8400, (301) 457-3819.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Survey of Program Dynamics (SPD) is a household-based survey 
designed as a data collection vehicle that can provide the basis for an 
overall evaluation of how well welfare reforms are achieving the aims 
of the Administration and the Congress and meeting the needs of the 
American people.
    The SPD is a large, longitudinal, nationally-representative study 
that measures participation in welfare programs, including both 
programs that are being reformed and those that remain unchanged. The 
SPD measures other important social, economic, demographic, and family 
changes that will allow analysis of the effectiveness of the welfare 
reforms.
    With the August 22, 1996 signing of the Personal Responsibility and 
Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (Pub L. 104-193), the 
Census Bureau is required to conduct the SPD, using as the sample the 
households from the 1992 and 1993 Survey of Income and Program 
Participation (SIPP). The information obtained will be used to evaluate 
the impact of this law on a sample of previous welfare recipients and 
future recipients of assistance under new state programs funded under 
this law as well as assess the impact on other low-income families. 
Issues of particular attention include welfare dependency, the length 
of welfare spells, the causes of repeat welfare spells, educational 
enrollment and work training, health care utilization, out-of-wedlock 
births, and the status of children.
    The previous wave of SPD was conducted in the spring of 1998 using 
a new questionnaire. A bridge survey using the CPS March questionnaire 
was conducted in the spring of 1997 to provide a link to baseline data 
for the period prior to the implementation of the welfare reform 
activities.

II. Method of Data Collection

    The SPD is a longitudinal study of welfare-related activities with 
the sample respondents originally selected from 1992 and 1993 SIPP 
panels. Interviews were conducted in 1997 and 1998. Subsequent data 
collection will be conducted from 1999 to 2002.
    Data will be collected using a computer-assisted personal interview 
(CAPI) automated questionnaire instrument from a nationally 
representative sample of the noninstitutionalized resident population 
living in the U.S. for all persons, families, and households. Persons 
who are at least 15 years of age at the time of the interview will be 
eligible to be in the survey. The 1999 SPD will ask the basic 1998 
questions, plus some additional questions about the status of children 
will be asked of parents. The 1999 SPD will not include an adolescent 
self-administered questionnaire that was conducted in 1998.
    A small sample of households will be selected for reinterview. The 
reinterview process assures that all households were properly 
contacted, and that the data are valid.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0838.
    Form Number: CAPI Automated Instrument.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Estimated Number of Household Respondents: 42,000.
    Estimated Number of Children of Respondents: 19,000.
    Estimated Number of Reinterview Respondents: 1,500.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 32 minutes per respondent, 8 minutes 
per child, 10 minutes per reinterview.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 25,150.
    Estimated Total Annual Costs: No costs to the respondents other 
than their time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182, and 
Public Law 104-193, Section 414 (signed 8/22/96), Title 42, United 
States Code, Section 614.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of burden (including 
hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and

[[Page 58706]]

(d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and or included in the request of OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: October 27, 1998.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 98-29192 Filed 10-30-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P