[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 7, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11978-11979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5452]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) Wave 3 of the 
2000 Panel

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 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 May 8, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5027, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via 
the Internet at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Judith H. Eargle, Census Bureau, FOB 3, Room 
3379, Washington, DC 20233-0001, (301) 457-3819.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau conducts the SIPP which is a household-based 
survey designed as a continuous series of national panels. New panels 
are introduced every few years with each panel usually having durations 
of 1 to 4 years. Respondents are interviewed once every four months in 
monthly rotations. Approximately 11,500 households are in the 2000 
panel.
    The SIPP represents a source of information for a wide variety of 
topics and allows information for separate topics to be integrated to 
form a single, unified database so that the interaction between tax, 
transfer, and other government and private policies can be examined. 
Government domestic-policy formulators depend heavily upon the SIPP 
information concerning the distribution of income received directly as 
money or indirectly as in-kind benefits and the effect of tax and 
transfer programs on this distribution. They also need improved and 
expanded data on the income and general economic and financial 
situation of the U.S. population. The SIPP has provided these kinds of 
data on a continuing basis since 1983 permitting levels of economic 
well-being and changes in these levels to be measured over time.
    The survey is molded around a central ``core'' of labor force and 
income questions that will remain fixed throughout the life of a panel. 
The core is supplemented with questions designed to answer specific 
needs, such as obtaining information on taxes, the ownership and 
contributions made to the Individual Retirement Account, Keogh and 401K 
plans, examining patterns in respondent work schedules, and child care 
arrangements. These supplemental questions are included

[[Page 11979]]

with the core and are referred to as ``topical modules.''
    The topical modules for the 2000 Panel Wave 3 collect information 
about:
     Medical Expenses and Utilization of Health Care
     Work Related Expenses and Child Support Paid
     Assets, Liabilities, and Eligibility
    Wave 3 interviews will be conducted from October 2000 through 
January 2001.

II. Method of Collection

    The SIPP is designed as a continuing series of national panels of 
interviewed households that are introduced every few years with each 
panel having durations of 1 to 4 years. All household members 15 years 
old or over are interviewed using regular proxy-respondent rules. 
During the 2000 panel, respondents are interviewed at least three times 
(3 waves) at 4-month intervals making the SIPP a longitudinal survey. 
Sample people (all household members present at the time of the first 
interview) who move within the country and reasonably close to a SIPP 
primary sampling unit will be followed and interviewed at their new 
address. Individuals 15 years old or over who enter the household after 
Wave 1 will be interviewed; however, if these individuals move, they 
are not followed unless they happen to move along with a Wave 1 sample 
individual.

III. Data

    OMB Number: 0607-0865.
    Form Number: SIPP/CAPI Automated Instrument.
    Type of Review: Regular.
    Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 24,150.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 30 minutes per person.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 37,658.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The only cost to respondents is their 
time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.


    Legal Authority: Title 13, United States Code, Section 182.

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 will be summarized or 
included in the request for the Office of Management and Budget 
approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter 
of public record.

    Dated: March 1, 2000.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer.
[FR Doc. 00-5452 Filed 3-6-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P