[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 157 (Tuesday, August 15, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 46878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-13398]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 157 / Tuesday, August 15, 2006 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 46878]]



FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

16 CFR Part 437


Business Opportunity Rule

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION: Extension of period to submit rebuttal comments in response to 
the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In a Federal Register notice published on April 12, 2006, 71 
FR 19054, the FTC requested comment on its Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking in connection with the Business Opportunity Rule. The Notice 
required that comments be submitted on or before June 16, 2006, and 
rebuttal comments be submitted on or before July 7, 2006. On June 1, 
2006, 71 FR 31124, the Commission extended the comment period to July 
17, 2006, and the rebuttal comment period until August 7, 2006. In 
response to a request received on July 24, 2006, the Commission has 
extended the rebuttal comment period until September 29, 2006.

DATES: Rebuttal comments addressing the Business Opportunity Rule 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking must be submitted on or before September 
29, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written rebuttal 
comments. Rebuttal comments should refer to ``Business Opportunity 
Rule, R511993'' to facilitate the organization of rebuttal comments. A 
rebuttal comment filed in paper form should include this reference both 
in the text and on the envelope, and should be mailed or delivered, 
with two complete copies, to the following address: Federal Trade 
Commission/Office of the Secretary, Room H-135 (Annex W), 600 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580. The FTC is requesting 
that any rebuttal comment filed in paper form be sent by courier or 
overnight service, if possible, because U.S. postal mail in the 
Washington area and at the Commission is subject to delay due to 
heightened security precautions. Moreover, because paper mail in the 
Washington area and at the Agency is subject to delay, please consider 
submitting your rebuttal comments in electronic form, as prescribed 
below. Rebuttal comments containing confidential material, however, 
must be filed in paper form, must be clearly labeled ``Confidential,'' 
and must comply with Commission Rule 4.9(c).\1\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ The rebuttal comment must be accompanied by an explicit 
request for confidential treatment, including the factual and legal 
basis for the request, and must identify the specific portions of 
the rebuttal to be withheld from the public record. The request will 
be granted or denied by the Commission's General Counsel, consistent 
with applicable law and the public interest. See Commission Rule 
4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Rebuttal comments filed in electronic form should be submitted by 
clicking on the following weblink: https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-bizopNPR/ and following the instructions on the web-based form. To 
ensure that the Commission considers an electronically filed rebuttal 
comment, you must file it on the web-based form at the https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-bizopNPR/ weblink. If this notice appears 
at www.regulations.gov, you may also file an electronic rebuttal 
comment through that website. The Commission will consider all rebuttal 
comments that regulations.gov forwards to it. You may also visit the 
FTC website at http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2006/04/newbizopprule.htm to read 
the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and the news release describing this 
proposed Rule.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steven Toporoff, (202) 326-3135, or 
Karen Hobbs, (202) 326-3587, Division of Marketing Practices, Bureau of 
Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, 
NW, H-286, Washington, DC 20580.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On April 12, 2006, 71 FR 19054, the FTC 
requested comment on its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (``NPR'' or 
``Notice'') in connection with the Business Opportunity Rule. The 
Notice required that comments and rebuttal comments be submitted on or 
before June 16, 2006, and July 7, 2006, respectively. On June 1, 2006, 
71 FR 31124, the Commission extended the comment period to July 17, 
2006, and the rebuttal comment period until August 7, 2006.
    On July 24, 2006, the Commission received a letter from the Direct 
Selling Association (``DSA'') noting the thousands of comments 
submitted concerning the proposed Rule and requesting that the 
Commission extend the rebuttal comment period ``for 60 days beyond the 
time it takes for the FTC to make all comments available 
electronically.''
    The Commission has received more than 15,000 comments in response 
to the NPR. Given this volume, posting comments will extend beyond the 
end of the current rebuttal comment period, which closed on August 7, 
2006. Accordingly, an extension is warranted in order to ensure that 
comments are posted and that the public has sufficient time to prepare 
rebuttals.
    Please note that the rebuttal period is limited to comments that 
specifically identify a previously submitted comment and provide new 
data or arguments as to why the original comment, in whole or in part, 
is inaccurate. Although anyone can submit a rebuttal comment, 
regardless of whether the rebuttal commenter filed an original comment, 
original comments or comments that merely repeat what was previously 
submitted in an original comment will not be accepted into the record 
as rebuttal comments.
    Accordingly, the Commission has determined to extend the rebuttal 
comment period set forth in the Notice until September 29, 2006.

    By direction of the Commission.
Donald S. Clark,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E6-13398 Filed 8-14-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-P