[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 140 (Tuesday, July 22, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43365-43366]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-18621]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Proposed Information Collection Under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act; Comment Request

AGENCY: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of proposed collection.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, we are 
renewing the information collection found in the general Probate of 
Indian Decedents' Estates, Except for Members of the Five Civilized 
Tribes regulations. The purpose of this data collection is to ensure 
that Probate regulations are administered for the benefit of individual 
Indians and any persons having claims against an Indian decedent's 
estate.

DATES: Comments on this proposed information collection must be 
received by September 22, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Ben Burshia, Bureau of Indian Affairs, 
Office of Trust Responsibilities, Real Estate Services, 1849 C Street, 
NW., MS 4512-MIB, Washington, DC 20240. Comments may also be faxed to 
(202) 219-1065. We cannot accept e-mail comments at this time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angela D. Pittman, (202) 208-4861.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The information provided through collection 
requirements is used by the Department of the Interior, BIA, to 
determine heirs and divide any funds held by the BIA for an Indian 
decedent and to divide the decedent's trust and restricted real 
property. The information is particularly used by the Bureau of Indian 
Affairs in:
    (a) Instructing an individual in starting the probate process;
    (b) Preparing a probate package for review;
    (c) Filing claims;
    (d) Disbursing assets; and
    (e) Filing appeals for adverse decisions.

Request for Comments

    The Bureau of Indian Affairs requests your comments on this 
collection concerning:
    (a) The necessity of this information collection for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility;
    (b) The accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (hours and 
cost) of the collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (c) Ways we could enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (d) Ways we could minimize the burden of the collection of the 
information on the respondents, such as facilitating use of automation 
for collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Please note that an agency may not sponsor or request, and an 
individual need not respond to, a collection of information unless it 
has a valid OMB Control Number.
    It is our policy to make all comments available to the public for 
review at the location listed in the ADDRESSES section, room 4522, 
during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday 
except for legal holidays. If you wish to have your name and/or address 
withheld, you must state this prominently at the beginning of your 
comments. We will honor your request according to the requirements of 
the law. All comments from organizations or representatives will be 
available for review. We may withhold comments from review for other 
reasons.
    OMB Control Number: 1076-0156.
    Type of Review: Renewal.
    Title: Probate of Indian Estates, Except for Members of the Five 
Civilized Tribes, 25 CFR part 15.
    Brief Description of Collection: Information is collected through 
the probate process when BIA learns of decedent's death from a 
neighbor, friend, or any other interested person by providing copy of 
decedent's obituary notice from a local newspaper; an affidavit of 
death prepared by someone who knows about the decedent. BIA also 
requires other documents to process the probate package. Interested 
party must inform BIA if any of the documents or information identified 
are not available.
    Respondents: Possible respondents include: Individual tribal 
members, individual non-Indians, individual tribal member-owned 
businesses, non-Indian owned businesses, tribal governments, and land 
owners who are seeking a benefit.
    Number of Respondents: 32,589 annually.
    Annual hours: 156,407.

[[Page 43366]]

    Estimated Time per Response: 5 hours.
    Frequency of Response: As required.

    Dated: July 17, 2003.
Aurene M. Martin,
Assistant Secretary, Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 03-18621 Filed 7-21-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-W7-P