[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 48 (Friday, March 10, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13025-13026]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5910]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration


Agency Information Collection Activities; Announcement of OMB 
Approval

AGENCY: Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, Department of 
Labor.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration (PWBA) is 
announcing that a collection of information has been approved by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 for the Interim Final Rule for Reporting by Multiple Employer 
Welfare Arrangements and Certain Other Entities That Offer or Provide 
Coverage for Medical Care to the Employees of Two or More Employers 
(Interim Final Reporting Rule). This notice announces the OMB approval 
number and expiration date.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of the Form M-1 and 
instructions (as well as filer's guides) may be obtained by calling 
PWBA's Publication Hotline at 1-800-998-7542 and via the Internet at: 
www.dol.gov/dol/pwba. Individuals with questions

[[Page 13026]]

about the Form M-1, and individuals who would like assistance in 
completing the Form M-1, should call the PWBA help desk at (202) 219-
8818.
    Address requests for copies of the information collection request 
(ICR) to Gerald B. Lindrew, U.S. Department of Labor, Pension and 
Welfare Benefits Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W. Room N-
5647, Washington, D.C. 20210. Telephone: (202) 219-4782. This is not a 
toll-free number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On February 11, 2000, PWBA published an 
Interim Final Reporting Rule and the Annual Report for Multiple 
Employer Welfare Arrangements and Certain Entities Claiming Exception 
(Form M-1)(65 FR 7152). On that day, PWBA also published an Interim 
Final Rule for the Assessment of Civil Penalties under Section 
502(c)(5) of ERISA and an Interim Rule Governing Procedures for 
Administrative Hearings Regarding the Assessment of Civil Penalties 
under Section 502(c)(5) of ERISA (Interim Final Penalty Rules, 65 FR 
7181). Although written comments on the Interim Final Reporting Rule 
and Interim Final Penalty Rules may be submitted through March 13, 
2000, the Department submitted the information collection request (ICR) 
included in the Interim Final Reporting Rule to OMB using emergency 
procedures, and requested approval by March 6, 2000.
    On March 2, 2000, OMB approved the ICR under emergency provisions 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq) and 5 
CFR 1320. The approval will expire on August 31, 2000. The control 
number assigned to this ICR by OMB is 1210-0116. Although the ICR has 
been approved on an emergency basis, interested persons may still 
submit comments on the ICR through April 11, 2000 to the Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20503; 
Attention: Desk Officer for Pension and Welfare Benefits 
Administration. PWBA will take these comments into consideration in 
finalizing the form and in preparing the application for continuing 
approval of the ICR that will be submitted to OMB prior to the 
expiration of the emergency approval.
    The Form M-1 that was formerly available from PWBA's Publication 
Hotline and Internet website has now been revised to include the OMB 
control number, which was not available at the time of publication on 
February 11, 2000. Under 5 CFR 1320.5(b), an Agency may not conduct or 
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of 
information, unless the collection displays a valid control number. 
Accordingly, persons required to file the Form M-1 may wish to obtain 
and file a copy of the Form M-1 displaying the OMB control number.

    Dated: March 7, 2000.
Gerald B. Lindrew,
Deputy Director, Office of Policy and Research, Pension and Welfare 
Benefits Administration.
[FR Doc. 00-5910 Filed 3-9-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-29-M