[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 26 (Monday, February 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5987-5988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-2660]


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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.
SUMMARY: On June 15, 1984, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
delegated to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System 
(Board) its approval authority under the Paperwork Reduction Act, as 
per 5 CFR 1320.16, to approve of and assign OMB control numbers to 
collection of information requests and requirements conducted or 
sponsored by the Board under conditions set forth in 5 CFR 1320 
Appendix A.1. Board-approved collections of information are 
incorporated into the official OMB inventory of currently approved 
collections of information. Copies of the OMB 83-Is and supporting 
statements and approved collection of information instruments are 
placed into OMB's public docket files. The Federal Reserve may not 
conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, 
an information collection that has been extended, revised, or 
implemented on or after October 1, 1995, unless it displays a currently 
valid OMB control number.

Request for comment on information collection proposal.

    The following information collections, which are being handled 
under this delegated authority, have received initial Board approval 
and are hereby published for comment. At the end of the comment period, 
the proposed information collections, along with an analysis of 
comments and recommendations received, will be submitted to the Board 
for final approval under OMB delegated authority. Comments are invited 
on the following:
    a. whether the proposed collections of information are necessary 
for the proper performance of the Federal Reserve's functions; 
including whether the information has practical utility;
    b. the accuracy of the Federal Reserve's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed information collections, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    c. ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    d. ways to minimize the burden of information collections on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 9, 2004.

ADDRESSES: Comments should be mailed to Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20551. Please consider 
submitting your comments through the Board's web site at 
www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm; by e-mail to 
[email protected]; or by fax to the Office of the 
Secretary at 202/452-3819 or 202/452-3102. Rules proposed by the Board 
and other federal agencies may also be viewed and commented on at 
www.regulations.gov. All public comments are available from the Board's 
web site at www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/ProposedRegs.cfm as 
submitted, except as necessary for technical reasons. Accordingly, your 
comments will not be edited to remove any identifying or contact 
information. Public comments may also be viewed electronically or in 
paper in Room MP-500 of the Board's Martin Building (C and 20th 
Streets, NW.) between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.
    A copy of the comments may also be submitted to the OMB desk 
officer for the Board: Joseph Lackey, Office of Information and 
Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive 
Office Building, Room 3208, Washington, DC 20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A copy of the proposed forms and 
instructions, the Paperwork Reduction Act Submission (OMB 83-I), 
supporting statements, and other documents that will be placed into 
OMB's public docket files once approved may be requested from the 
agency clearance officer, whose name appears below.
    Cindy Ayouch, Federal Reserve Board Clearance Officer (202-452-
3829), Division of Research and Statistics, Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551. Telecommunications Device 
for the Deaf (TDD) users may contact (202-263-4869), Board of Governors 
of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551.

[[Page 5988]]

Proposal to approve under OMB delegated authority the extension for 
three years, without revision, of the following reports:

    1. Report title: Survey to Obtain Information on the Relevant 
Market in Individual Merger Cases
    Agency form number: FR 2060
    OMB control number: 7100-0232
    Frequency: On occasion
    Reporters: Small businesses and consumers
    Annual reporting hours: 18
    Estimated average hours per response: 10 minutes for small 
businesses, 6 minutes for consumers
    Number of respondents: 25 small businesses and 50 consumers per 
survey
    General description of report: This information collection is 
voluntary (12 U.S.C. Sec. 1817(j), 1828(c), and 1841 et seq.) and is 
given confidential treatment (5 U.S.C. Sec.Sec. 552 (b)(4) and (b)(6)).
    Abstract: The Federal Reserve uses this information to define 
relevant banking markets for specific merger and acquisition 
applications and to evaluate changes in competition that would result 
from proposed transactions.
    2. Report title: Written Security Program for State Member Banks
    Agency form number: FR 4004
    OMB control number: 7100-0112
    Frequency: On occasion
    Reporters: State member banks
    Annual reporting hours: 27
    Estimated average hours per response: 30 minutes
    Number of respondents: 54
    General description of report: This recordkeeping requirement is 
mandatory [12 U.S.C. Sec. 1882], 12 U.S.C. Sec. 248(a)(1) and 325, and 
Regulation H [12 C.F.R., part 208.61] authorize the Board to require 
the recordkeeping of this information. Because written security 
programs are maintained at state member banks, no issue of 
confidentiality under the Freedom of Information Act normally arises. 
However, copies of such documents included in examination work papers 
would, in such form, be confidential pursuant to exemption 8 of the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. Sec. 552(b)(8)).
    Abstract: This mandatory information collection is a recordkeeping 
requirement contained in the Federal Reserve's Regulation H, Section 
208.61. Each state member bank must develop and implement a written 
security program and maintain it in the bank's records. There is no 
formal reporting form and the information is not submitted to the 
Federal Reserve.
    3. Report title: Transfer Agent Registration and Amendment Form
    Agency form number: FR TA-1
    OMB control number: 7100-0099
    Frequency: On occasion
    Reporters: State member banks and their subsidiaries, bank holding 
companies, and certain nondeposit trust company subsidiaries of bank 
holding companies.
    Annual reporting hours: 8
    Estimated average hours per response: 1 hour and 15 minutes for 
registrations; 10 minutes for amendments
    Number of respondents: 5 registrations and 11 amendments
    General description of report: This information collection is 
mandatory (Sections 17A(c), 17(a), and 23(a) of the Securities Exchange 
Act of 1934, as amended (15 USC 78q-1(c)(1) and (2), 78q(a)(3), and 
78w(a)(1))) and is not given confidential treatment.
    Abstract: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the ``Act'') 
requires any person acting as a transfer agent to register as such and 
to amend registration information when it changes. State member banks 
and their subsidiaries, bank holding companies, and certain nondeposit 
trust company subsidiaries of bank holding companies register with the 
Federal Reserve System by submitting Form TA-1. The information 
collected includes the company name, all business addresses, and 
several questions about the registrant's proposed activities as a 
transfer agent. The Federal Reserve uses the information to act upon 
registration applications and to aid in performing its supervisory 
duties.

    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, February 3, 
2004.
Jennifer J. Johnson,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 04-2660 Filed 2-6-04; 8:45 am]
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