[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 146 (Friday, July 30, 2004)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 45579-45580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17359]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census

15 CFR Part 50

[Docket No. 040408109-4209-02]
RIN 0607-AA41


Amendment to the Age Search Fee Structure

AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is amending the Code 
of Federal Regulations (CFR), to increase the fee for conducting an Age 
Search from $40.00 to $65.00. The Census Bureau also is adding an 
additional charge of $20.00 per case for expedited requests requiring 
search results within one day. These changes are being made to recover 
the increase in operating costs associated with processing an Age 
Search request.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule is effective on August 30, 2004.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eileen Little, Chief, Survey 
Processing

[[Page 45580]]

Branch, National Processing Center, U.S. Census Bureau, 1201 East 10th 
Street, Building 64C, Jeffersonville, IN 47132, by telephone at (812) 
218-3796 or by fax at (812) 218-3081.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

Background

    The age and citizenship searching service is a self-supporting 
operation of the Census Bureau, conducted in accordance with Title 13, 
United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 8(a). Under this statute, all 
expenses incurred in the retrieval of personal information from 
decennial census records and the preparation of census transcripts are 
covered by fees paid by individuals who request this service. The Age 
Search census transcript provides proof of age to qualify individuals 
for social security or other retirements benefits, proof of citizenship 
to obtain passports, proof of family relationships for rights of 
inheritance, or to satisfy other situations where a birth certificate 
is required but not available. Individuals request the Age Search 
service to qualify for social security/retirement benefits, obtain 
passports, documentation for court litigation or insurance settlements, 
and genealogical research. The 1910 through 2000 censuses in custody of 
the Census Bureau are confidential and protected from disclosure by 
Title 13, U.S.C., Section 9. No transcript of any record will be 
furnished that would violate statutes requiring that information 
furnished to the Census Bureau be held confidential and not used to the 
detriment of the person to whom it relates.
    On April 30, 2004, the Census Bureau published in the Federal 
Register (69 FR 23700) a notice of proposed rulemaking and request for 
comments on this subject. The Census Bureau did not receive any 
comments on that notice and therefore the proposed rule is adopted as 
final.

Program Requirements

    There has not been an Age Search fee increase since February 1, 
1993. Due to an increase in operating costs over this 11-year period 
and in order to help maintain the self-supporting financial status, the 
Census Bureau is making the following amendment to 15 CFR 50:
     Amend Section 50.5 to update the fee structure and add a 
fee charge for expedited requests. The Census Bureau is increasing the 
fee structure from $40.00 to $65.00 on searches of one census for one 
person and one transcript. The Census Bureau also is adding an 
additional charge of $20.00 per case for expedited requests requiring 
search results within one day. The additional $20.00 charge for 
expedited cases represents the estimated cost to the Census Bureau for 
this service.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce 
certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration that this rule would not have a significant economic 
impact on a substantial number of small entities. Most, if not all, 
respondents affected by the fee increase are individuals, not small or 
large businesses. No comments were received on the certification 
therefore a final regulatory flexibility analysis was not required or 
prepared.

Executive Orders

    This rule has been determined to be not significant for purposes of 
Executive Order 12866. This rule does not contain policies with 
federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order 
13132.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure 
to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information 
displays a current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control 
number. On July 1, 2004, OMB cleared the form used to request age 
searches (Form BC-600), and the associated increase in fee structure, 
under OMB Control Number 0607-0117. This clearance addresses increasing 
the fee structure from $40.00 to $65.00 on searches of one census for 
one person and one transcript, and adding an additional charge of 
$20.00 per case for expedited requests requiring search results within 
one day.

List of Subjects in 15 CFR Part 50

    Census data, Population census, Statistics.


0
For reasons set out in the preamble, Part 50 is amended as follows:

PART 50--SPECIAL SERVICES AND STUDIES BY THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS

0
1. The authority citation for 15 CFR Part 50 is revised to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1525-1527 and 13 U.S.C. 3 and 8.

0
2. Revise Sec.  50.5 to read as follows:


Sec.  50.5  Fee structure for age search and citizenship information.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Type of service                            Fee
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Searches of one census for one person and one transcript.......   $65.00
Each additional copy of census transcript......................     2.00
\1\ Each full schedule requested...............................   10.00
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\1\ The $10.00 for each full schedule requested is in addition to the
  $65.00 transcript fee.


    Note: An additional charge of $20.00 per case is charged for 
expedited requests requiring search results within one day.


    Dated: July 27, 2004.
Charles Louis Kincannon,
Director, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 04-17359 Filed 7-29-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P