[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 130 (Friday, July 8, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39536-39537]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13445]


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RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for 
public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad 
Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data 
collections.
    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information 
collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; 
(b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection 
of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize 
the burden related to the collection of information on respondents, 
including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology.
    Title and Purpose of Information Collection: Evidence for 
Application of Overall Minimum: OMB 3220-0083.
    Under section 3(f)(3) of the Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), the 
total monthly benefits payable to a railroad employee and his/her 
family are guaranteed to be no less than the amount that would be 
payable if the employee's railroad service had been covered by the 
Social Security Act. This is referred to as the Special Guaranty 
computation or the Retirement Overall Minimum (O/M) provision. To 
administer the Special Guaranty provision, the RRB requires information 
about a retired employee's spouse and any child who is not currently 
eligible for benefits under the RRA but might have been eligible for 
benefits under the Social Security Act if

[[Page 39537]]

the employee's railroad service had been covered by that Act.
    The RRB currently obtains the required information by the use of 
forms G-319 (Statement Regarding Family and Earnings for Special 
Guaranty Computation) and G-320 (Statement by Employee Annuitant 
Regarding Student Age 18-19). One form is completed by each respondent.
    The RRB proposes significant burden impacting changes to Form G-319 
and Form G-320. The major changes proposed are primarily to gather 
information needed due to the Railroad Retirement and Survivors 
Improvement Act which created a new category of employees whose 
families might qualify for the Special Guaranty Computation if the 
employee has less than 120 months of railroad service, but at least 60 
months of railroad service after 1995, and to expand the use of Form G-
320 to include student attendance monitoring. Proposed Form G-319 will 
be renamed, ``Statement Regarding Family and Earnings for the Special 
Guaranty Computation''. Proposed Form G-320 will be renamed ``Student 
Questionnaire for the Special Guaranty Computation''. Transmittal 
letters containing completion instructions have been developed for both 
of the proposed forms.
    The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

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                                                                      Annual
                        Form (s)                            responses      Time (min)     Burden (hrs)
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G-319 Employee completed:
    With assistance.............................................             100              26              43
    Without assistance..........................................               5              55               5
G-319 Spouse completed:
    With assistance.............................................             100              30              50
    Without assistance..........................................               5              60               5
G-320:
    Age 18 at Special Guaranty..................................              95              15              24
    Begin Date or Special Guaranty..............................
    Age 18 Attainments..........................................
G-320:
    Student Monitoring done in Sept., March, and at end of                   170              15              42
     school year................................................
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    Additional Information or Comments: To request more information or 
to obtain a copy of the information collection justifications, forms, 
and/or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at 
(312) 751-3363 or send an e-mail request to [email protected]. 
Comments regarding the information collection should be addressed to 
Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush Street, 
Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 or send an e-mail to 
[email protected]. Comments should be received within 60 days of 
this notice.

Charles Mierzwa,
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 05-13445 Filed 7-7-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7905-01-P