[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 32 (Thursday, February 17, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8125-8128]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-3029]


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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of 
information collection packages that will require clearance by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Pub. L. 104-
13, the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. The 
information collection packages that may be included in this notice are 
for new information collections, revisions to OMB-approved information 
collections, and extensions (no change) of OMB-approved information 
collections.
    SSA is soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden 
estimate; the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to 
enhance its quality, utility, and clarity; and on ways to minimize 
burden on respondents, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology. Written comments 
and recommendations regarding the information collection(s) should be 
submitted to the OMB Desk Officer and the SSA Reports Clearance 
Officer. The information can be mailed and/or faxed to the individuals 
at the addresses and fax numbers listed below:
    (OMB), Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA, 
New Executive Building, Room 10235, 725 17th St., NW., Washington, DC 
20503, Fax: 202-395-6974;
    (SSA), Social Security Administration, DCFAM, Attn: Reports 
Clearance Officer, 1338 Annex Building, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, 
MD 21235, Fax: 410-965-6400.
    I. The information collections listed below are pending at SSA and 
will be submitted to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. 
Therefore, your comments should be submitted to SSA within 60 days from 
the date of this publication. You can obtain copies of the collection 
instruments by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at (410) 965-
0454 or by writing to the address listed above.
    1. Railroad Employment Questionnaire--20 CFR 404.1401, 
404.1406-.1408--0960-0078. SSA uses form SSA-671 to secure sufficient 
information to effect the required coordination with the Railroad 
Retirement Board for Social Security claims processing. It is completed 
whenever claimants give indications of having been employed in the 
railroad industry. The respondents are applicants for Social Security 
benefits,

[[Page 8126]]

who have had railroad employment, or dependents of railroad workers.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 125,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 10,417 hours.
    2. Government Pension Questionnaire--20 CFR 404.408a--0960-0160. 
The Social Security Act and regulations provide that an individual 
receiving spouse's benefits and concurrently receiving a Government 
pension, based on the individual's own earnings, may have the Social 
Security benefit amount reduced by two-thirds of the pension amount. 
The data collected on form SSA-3885 is used by SSA to determine if the 
individual's Social Security benefit will be reduced, the amount of the 
reduction, and if one of the exceptions in 20 CFR 404.408a applies. The 
respondents are individuals who are receiving, or will receive, Social 
Security spouse's benefits and also receive their own Government 
pension.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 76,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 12.5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 15,833 hours.
    3. Teacher Questionnaire (SSA-5665-BK); Request for Administrative 
Information (SSA-5666-BK)--20 CFR 416.924a and 20 CFR 404.1520--0960-
0646. If an individual who is claiming disability under title XVI or 
title II is currently, or has recently been, in an education program, 
SSA must obtain information about his or her functioning from teachers, 
instructors, and other education personnel who have the opportunity to 
observe the individual on a day-to-day basis. Educational programs are 
an important source of evidence and often provide formal assessment 
results and other kinds of information from a variety of disciplines. 
Evidence obtained from educational programs varies a great deal, 
however, in format, content, reliability, and usefulness. The need 
exists, therefore, for an information collection instrument that will 
assure a degree of uniformity and consistency in the quantity and 
quality of information received about a claimant's (or beneficiary's/
recipient's) impairment-related limitations.

SSA-5665-BK

    Type of Request: Revision of OMB-approved information collection.
    Number of Respondents: 557,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 20 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 185,667 hours.

SSA-5666

    Type of Request: Revision of OMB-approved information collection.
    Number of Respondents: 555,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 138,750 hours.
    4. Statement Regarding Date of Birth and Citizenship--20 CFR 
404.716--0960-0016. Form SSA-702 collects information needed when 
preferred or other evidence is not available to prove age or 
citizenship for an individual applying for Social Security benefits. 
SSA uses this form for individuals who must establish age as a factor 
of entitlement or U.S. citizenship as a payment factor. Respondents are 
applicants for one or more Social Security benefits who need to 
establish their dates of birth as a factor of entitlement or U.S. 
citizenship as a factor of payment.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 1,200.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 200 hours.
    5. The Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program--20 CFR 
411.160-.730--0960-0644. The Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency 
program allows individuals with disabilities who are receiving SSA 
payments to work towards decreased dependence on government cash 
benefits programs without jeopardizing their benefits during the 
transition period to employment. The program allows disability payment 
recipients to choose a provider from an employment network (EN), who 
will guide these beneficiaries in obtaining, regaining, and maintaining 
self-supporting employment. 20 CFR 411.160-.730 discusses the 
regulations governing this program. The respondents are individuals 
entitled to Social Security benefits based on disability or individuals 
entitled to SSI; Program Managers; EN contractors; and VRAs.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                       Number of        Frequency of       Average burden per   Estimated annual
           CFR sections               respondents         response         response  (minutes)   burden  (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
411.140(c) [X-refer sections               70,000   2/year..............  60..................          140,000
 411.145, 411.150, 411.325(a),
 (b), (c), & (d), 411.320(f)].
411.325(e) [X-refer section                70,000   12/year.............  60..................          840,000
 411.395(b)].
411.325(f) [X-refer section                60,000   1/year..............  5...................            5,000
 411.395(a)].
411.190 (a) [X-refer section                  250   1/year..............  30..................              125
 411.195].
411.220(a)(1).....................             55   Varies..............  30..................               28
441.245(b)(1).....................         12,000   1...................  1...................              200
411.325(d)........................             25   1...................  480.................              200
411.365...........................             82   1...................  240.................              328
411.575 [X-refer section 411.500].          6,000   1...................  30..................            3,000
411.605(b) [X-refer section                27,000   Varies..............  5...................            2,250
 411.610].
411.435(c)........................            100   Once................  60..................              100
411.615...........................          1,000   Once................  60..................            1,000
411.625...........................             50   Once................  60..................               50
411.210(b)........................          2,000   Once................  30..................            1,000
411.590(b)........................            100   Once................  60..................              100
411.655...........................              1   Once/year...........  120.................                2
411.200...........................            150   12/year.............  15..................              450
                                   -----------------
    Total annual respondents......        248,813   ....................  Total Annual Burden           993,833
                                                                           Hours.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 8127]]

    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 993,833 hours.
    6. Help America Vote Act--0960-NEW.

Background

    On October 29, 2002, President George W. Bush signed into law H.R. 
3295, the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002, which mandates the 
verification of newly registered voters. HAVA places certain 
requirements upon SSA in terms of verifying information to be used for 
each State's voter registration process.
    SSA's role in HAVA is defined in Section 303 of the law. Section 
303 requires each State to implement a computerized statewide voter 
registration list and to verify voter information with the State motor 
vehicle administration (MVA) records, or if none exist, with SSA 
records.

HAVA Information Collection

    Individuals registering to vote must provide their driver's license 
number to the State election agency. If they have no driver's license 
or State-issued identity card they must supply the last four digits of 
the Social Security number (SSN). The State election agency will 
forward the new registrant name, date of birth (DOB), and the last four 
digits of the SSN to the State MVA.
    SSA requires State MVAs to use the American Association of Motor 
Vehicle Administrations (AAMVA) as a consolidation point for data 
transfer as is currently done for SSN verification of a driver's 
license applicant. The data, as input by the MVA, routes the 
applicant's information to the AAMVA network hub. AAMVA forwards the 
transaction to SSA's HAVA verification system. The result will be 
returned from SSA to the AAMVA hub for distribution to the State MVA. 
The respondents to the HAVA collection are the various State MVAs 
responsible under the act for verifying voter registration information.
    Type of Request: New Information Collection.
    Number of Respondents: 50 State MVAs.
    Total Annual Responses: *1,000,000.
    Average Burden per Response: 2 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 33,333 hours.

    *The actual number of responses per state will vary based on 
population. Therefore, the total number of responses is based on 
data of new voter applications received by all 50 States in 1999-
2000.

    7. Public Understanding Measurement System (PUMS)--0960-0612.
    As required by Section 2(b) of the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA), which provides that Agencies establish the means 
for measuring their progress in achieving agency-level goals, SSA 
established the PUMS in 1998 as a tool for measuring its performance in 
meeting its strategic objectives in the area of public knowledge about 
and understanding of the Social Security program. The instrument used 
in PUMS is a national phone survey of adult Americans (age 18 and over) 
conducted annually for SSA by a professional polling organization.
    The PUMS survey instrument is designed to collect knowledge data 
from key populations toward which SSA has targeted education and 
outreach programs. Additionally, the survey is intended to assure a 
valid knowledge measure for key populations at the national level. This 
information is a crucial step in making SSA more focused and effective 
in its communication programs. The respondents are randomly selected 
adults residing in the United States.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 1,400.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 350 hours.
    8. Statement of Income and Resources--20 CFR 416.207, 416.301-.310, 
416.704 and 416.708--0960-0124. The information collected on form SSA-
8010-BK is used in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims and 
redeterminations to obtain information about the income and resources 
of: Ineligible spouses, parents/spouses of parents, and children living 
in the claimant's/beneficiary's household; essential persons; and 
sponsors of aliens (including spouses of sponsors who live with the 
sponsor). The information is needed to make initial or continuing 
eligibility determinations for SSI claimants/beneficiaries who are 
subject to deeming. If eligible, the information is used to determine 
the amount of the SSI payment. The respondents are persons whose income 
and resources must be considered in determining the eligibility of SSI 
claimants or beneficiaries.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 341,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 26 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 147,767 hours.
    II. The information collections listed below have been submitted to 
OMB for clearance. Your comments on the information collections would 
be most useful if received by OMB and SSA within 30 days from the date 
of this publication. You can obtain a copy of the OMB clearance 
packages by calling the SSA Reports Clearance Officer at (410) 965-
0454, or by writing to the address listed above.
    1. Advance Notice of Termination of Child's Benefits and Student's 
Statement Regarding School Attendance--20 CFR 404.350-404.352, 404.367-
404.368--0960-0105. The information collected on Form SSA-1372 is 
needed to determine whether children of an insured worker are eligible 
for student benefits. The data allows SSA to determine student 
entitlement and whether entitlement will end. The respondents are 
student claimants for Social Security benefits, their respective 
schools and, in some cases, their payees.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 200,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 10 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 33,333 hours.
    2. Statement Regarding Marriage--20 CFR 404.726--0960-0017. Form 
SSA-753 elicits information from third parties to verify the 
applicant's statement about intent, cohabitation, and holding out to 
the public as married, which are basic tenets of a common-law marriage. 
The responses are used by SSA to determine if a valid marital 
relationship exists and to make an accurate determination regarding 
entitlement to spouse/widow(er) benefits. The respondents are 
individuals who are familiar with and can provide confirmation of an 
applicant's common-law marriage.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 40,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 9 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 6,000 hours.
    3. Request for Address Information From Motor Vehicles Records; 
Request for Address Information From Employment Commissions Records--4 
CFR 104.2--0960-0341. SSA sends the SSA-L711 to State Motor Vehicle 
Administrations to obtain the last known address from driver's license 
and registration records. SSA sends the SSA-L712 to State Employment 
Commissions to obtain the last known

[[Page 8128]]

address from State unemployment/employment wage records. SSA uses the 
information to locate debtors to arrange for payment of debts owed to 
SSA. The respondents are State Motor Vehicle Administrations and State 
Employment Commissions.
    Type of Request: Extension of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 2,400.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 2 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 80 hours.
    4. General Request for Social Security Records, eFOIA--20 CFR 
402.130--0960-NEW. SSA uses the information collected on this 
electronic request for Social Security records to respond to the 
public's request for information under the rights provided by the 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and to track those requests by 
amount received, type of request, fees charged and responses sent 
within the required 20 days. Respondents are individuals or agencies 
requesting documents under FOIA.
    Type of Request: New information collection.
    Number of Respondents: 300,000.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 3 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 15,000 hours.
    5. Social Security Number Verification Service (SSNVS)--0960-0660.

Background

    Under Internal Revenue Service regulations, employers are obligated 
to provide wage and tax data to SSA using form W-2, Wage and Tax 
Statement or its electronic equivalent. As part of this process, the 
employer must furnish the employee's name and their SSN. This 
information must match SSA's records in order for the employee's wage 
and tax data to be properly posted to their Earnings Record. 
Information that is incorrectly provided to the Agency must be 
corrected by the employer using an amended reporting form, which is a 
labor-intensive and time-consuming process for both SSA and the 
employer. Therefore, to help ensure that employers provide accurate 
name and SSN information, SSA piloted SSNVS with 100 employers and now 
plans to implement the service nationally.
    SSNVS Collection. SSNVS is an optional free and secure Internet 
service for employers that allows them to perform advance verification 
of their employees' name and SSN information against SSA records. SSA 
will use the information collected through the SSNVS to verify that 
employee name and SSN information, provided by employers, matches SSA 
records. SSA will respond to the employer informing them only of 
matches and mismatches of submitted information. Respondents are 
employers who provide wage and tax data to SSA and elect to use the 
service.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.
    Number of Respondents: 200,000.
    Frequency of Response: 120.
    Average Burden per Response: 5 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 2,000,000 hours.
    6. Application for SSI--20 CFR 416.305-335--0960-0229. SSA uses the 
information collected on form SSA-8000-BK or its electronic equivalent, 
the Modernized SSI Claims System (MSSICS), to determine eligibility for 
SSI and the amount of benefits payable to the applicant. During the 
personal interview process the MSSICS system takes less time to 
complete because the system propagates like information and only asks 
relevant questions of the applicant. Approximately 97% of SSI 
applications are taken via MSSICS. The respondents are applicants for 
SSI payments.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

Form SSA-8000

    Number of Respondents: 33,851.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 41 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 23,132 hours.

MSSICS

    Number of Respondents: 1,094,523.
    Frequency of Response: 1.
    Average Burden per Response: 36 minutes.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 656,714 hours.
    Total Burden Hours: 679,846.

    Dated: February 10, 2005.
Elizabeth A. Davidson,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-3029 Filed 2-16-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P