[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 102 (Thursday, May 27, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 28778-28779]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-13505]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Public Health Service

42 CFR Part 36

RIN 0917-AA02


Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act 
Minimum Standards of Character

agency: Indian Health Service, Public Health Service, HHS.

action: Notice of proposed rulemaking; extension of comment period.

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summary: The Indian Health Service (IHS) is extending the comment 
period for the notice of proposed rulemaking implementing section 408 
of the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention Act 
Minimum Standards of Character (Published March 25, 1999, 64 FR 14560) 
from May 24, 1999, to July 26, 1999, in response to tribal requests for 
more time to analyze the proposed rule and to prepare their comments.

dates: Comments must be received on or before July 26, 1999.

addresses: Written comments may be sent to Betty J. Penn, Regulations 
Officer, Indian Health Service, Twinbrook Metro Plaza, Suite 450, 12300 
Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Comments will be made 
available for public inspection at

[[Page 28779]]

this address from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday.

for further information contact: Ramona Williams, Child Protection 
Coordinator, Office of Mental Health/Social Services, Indian Health 
Service, 5300 Homestead Road, N.E., Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110, 
(505) 248-4245. (This is not a toll-free number.)

supplementary information: In the Federal Register of March 25, 1999, 
the IHS published proposed regulations to implement section 408 of Pub. 
L. 101-630, the Indian Child Protection and Family Violence Prevention 
Act. The Act requires that tribes or tribal organizations who receive 
funds under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, 
Pub. L. 93-638, employ individuals in positions involving regular 
contact with or control over Indian children only if the individuals 
meet standards of character no less stringent than those prescribed 
under these regulations. Comments have been received on behalf of a 
number of tribes requesting an extension of the comment period for the 
proposed regulation ranging from 30 days to 2 months. For example, some 
of the tribes are currently engaged in contract/compact negotiations 
and need additional time to fully study the proposed regulations and 
consult with their tribal councils before submitting written comments. 
Some tribes have already adopted their detailed policies on this 
subject and need time to compare the proposed regulations to their 
policies. The IHS has considered these requests and determined that an 
additional 60 days would accommodate the need for additional time and 
be consistent with its policy of consultation with tribes.
    All comments received during the public comment period will be 
given full consideration in the development of the final regulations.

    Dated: May 21, 1999.
Robert G. McSwain,
Acting Director.
[FR Doc. 99-13505 Filed 5-26-99; 8:45 am]
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