[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 18, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44889-44890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-21463]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Survey of Program Dynamics--2000

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, Pub. L. 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).


[[Page 44890]]


DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before October 18, 
1999.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5033, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via 
the Internet at LE[email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
    Requests for additional information or copies of the information 
collection instrument and instructions should be directed to Michael 
McMahon, U.S. Census Bureau, FOB 3, Room 3375, Washington, DC 20233-
0001, (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 2000 SPD is the third year of data collection using the same 
core questions. A one-time topical module will collect the residential 
histories of children. The previous wave, conducted in the spring of 
1999, collected core data plus extended measures of child well-being. 
The 1998 SPD included an adolescent self-administered questionnaire. A 
bridge survey using the Current Population Survey 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 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, 1998, and 1999. Subsequent 
data collections are scheduled for 2000 to 2002. Data are collected 
using a computer-assisted interviewing (CAI) 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.
    A small sample of households is scheduled 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: CAI Automated Instrument.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Estimated Number of Household Respondents: 42,000.
    Estimated Number of Reinterview Respondents: 1,500.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 36 minutes per respondent 10 minutes 
per reinterview.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 25,150.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: No costs to the respondents other than 
their time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, section 182, and 
Pub. L. 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 the 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 (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 are summarized and/or 
included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: August 13, 1999.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 99-21463 Filed 8-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P