[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 21, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51087-51088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24555]


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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

16 CFR Part 432


Trade Regulation Rule Relating to Power Output Claims for 
Amplifiers Utilized in Home Entertainment Products

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On July 19, 1999, the Federal Trade Commission (the 
``Commission'') commenced a rulemaking proceeding and requested public 
comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend its Rule relating 
to Power Output Claims for Amplifiers Utilized in Home Entertainment 
Products (the ``Amplifier Rule'' or the ``Rule''). The Commission 
solicited comments until September 17, 1999. In response to a request 
from an industry trade association, the Commission grants an extension 
of the comment period until October 15, 1999.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted until October 15, 1999.


[[Page 51088]]


ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to Office of the 
Secretary, Federal Trade Commission, Room H-159, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., 
NW., Washington, DC 20580. Comments should be identified as ``16 CFR 
Part 432 Comment--Amplifier Rule.'' If possible, submit comments both 
in writing and on a personal computer diskette in Word Perfect or other 
word processing format (to assist in processing, please identify the 
format and version used). Written comments should be submitted, when 
feasible and not burdensome, in five copies.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Murphy, Economist, Division of 
Consumer Protection, Bureau of Economics, (202) 326-3524, or Neil 
Blickman, Attorney, Division of Enforcement, Bureau of Consumer 
Protection, (202) 326-3038, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC 
20580.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 19, 1999, as part of its regulatory 
review program, the Commission published in the Federal Register a 
request for public comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend 
its Amplifier Rule, 16 CFR part 432 (64 FR 38610). The Amplifier Rule 
was promulgated on May 3, 1974 (39 FR 15387), to assist consumers in 
purchasing power amplification equipment for home entertainment 
purposes by standardizing the measurement and disclosure of various 
performance characteristics of the equipment. Specifically, the Federal 
Register notice solicited public comments on Commission proposals to 
amend the Amplifier Rule to: Exempt sellers who make power output 
claims in media advertising from the Rule's requirement to disclose 
total rated harmonic distortion and the associated power bandwidth and 
impedance ratings; clarify the manner in which the Rule's testing 
procedures apply to self-powered subwoofer-satellite combination 
speaker systems; and reduce the preconditioning power output 
requirement in the Rule from one-third of rated power to one-eighth of 
rated power. Pursuant to the Federal Register notice, the comment 
period on the notice of proposed rulemaking currently ends on September 
17, 1999.
    On September 7, 1999, the Commission staff received a request for 
an extension of the comment period from the Consumer Electronics 
Manufacturers Association (``CEMA''). CEMA has indicated that 
additional time is required for its members to prepare thorough, 
thoughtful responses to the proposals and questions contained in the 
Federal Register notice.
    The Commission is aware that some of the issues raised by the 
Federal Register notice are complex and technical. Accordingly, to 
provide sufficient time for interested parties to prepare useful 
comments, the Commission has decided to extend the deadline for 
comments on its notice of proposed rulemaking by twenty-eight (28) 
days, until October 15, 1999.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 41-58.

List of Subjects in 16 CFR Part 432

    Amplifiers, Home entertainment products, Trade practices.

    By direction of the Commission.
Donald S. Clark,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-24555 Filed 9-17-99; 8:55 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-M