[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 215 (Tuesday, November 7, 2006)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 65064]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-18708]


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LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION

45 CFR Part 1621


Client Grievance Procedure

AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking--reopening of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On August 21, 2006, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) 
issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing to amend LSC's 
regulation on client grievance procedures. The comment period closed on 
September 20, 2006. LSC is reopening the comment period to allow 
additional time for interested parties to comment on the proposed 
changes.

DATES: Comments on the NPRM are due on December 22, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by mail, fax or e-mail to 
Mattie Cohan, Senior Assistant General Counsel, Office of Legal 
Affairs, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 
20007; 202-295-1624 (ph); 202-337-6519 (fax); [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mattie Cohan, Senior Assistant General 
Counsel, 202-295-1624 (ph); [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Legal Services Corporation's (LSC) regulation on client 
grievance procedures, 45 CFR part 1621, adopted in 1977 and not amended 
since that time, requires that LSC grant recipients establish grievance 
procedures pursuant to which clients and applicants for service can 
pursue complaints with recipients related to the denial of legal 
assistance or dissatisfaction with the legal assistance provided. LSC 
initiated a rulemaking on October 29, 2005 to consider revisions to 
Part 1621 and published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposing 
changes to the rule on August 21, 2006. 71 FR 48501.
    The comment period on the NPRM closed on September 20, 2006. LSC 
received five timely comments on the proposed changes. The Operations 
and Regulations Committee of the LSC Board of Directors was scheduled 
to consider a Draft Final Rule prepared by Management at its meeting of 
October 27, 2006. Prior to that meeting, the Chairman of the Operations 
and Regulations Committee received a request from the National Legal 
Aid and Defender Association (NLADA) to file additional comments from 
NLADA's client representative committee. In response to that request, 
LSC determined that deferring action on the draft final rule to allow 
additional time for the client representative community (and any other 
interested parties) to submit comments was appropriate. Accordingly, 
LSC is reopening the comment period on the NPRM for a period of 45 
days. Parties desiring to comment may find the NPRM on the LSC Web site 
at: http://www.lsc.gov/pdfs/1621FedRegNotice.pdf. Other pertinent 
docket materials in this rulemaking may be found at: http://www.lsc.gov/laws/open_rulemaking.php, under the heading ``Revision of 
45 CFR Part 1621.''

Victor M. Fortuno,
Vice President & General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E6-18708 Filed 11-6-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7050-01-P