[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 23 (Monday, February 4, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7779-7780]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-02371]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Information Collection Requirement Submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for Emergency Review and Approval

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), as part of its 
continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the general 
public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment 
on the following information collection, as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995. Comments are requested concerning whether 
the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; the accuracy of the 
Commission's burden estimate; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information collected; ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology; and ways to further reduce the information collection 
burden on small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
    The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information 
unless it displays a currently valid control number. No person shall be 
subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of 
information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before February 
19, 2013. If you anticipate that you will be submitting comments, but 
find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this 
notice, you should advise the contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES: Direct all PRA comments to Nicholas A. Fraser, OMB, via 
email at [email protected] or fact at (202) 395-5197, and 
to Cathy Williams, FCC, via email [email protected] and to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information about the 
information collection, contact Cathy Williams at (202) 418-2918.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission is requesting emergency OMB 
processing of the information collection requirement(s) contained in 
this notice and has requested OMB approval 30 days after the collection 
is received at OMB. To view a copy of this information collection 
request (ICR) submitted to OMB: (1) Go to the Web page http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain, (2) look for the section of the Web 
page called ``Currently Under Review,'' (3) click on the downward-
pointing arrow in the ``Select Agency'' box below the ``Currently Under 
Review'' heading, (4) select ``Federal Communications Commission'' from 
the list of agencies presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click 
the ``Submit'' button to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, (6) 
when the list of FCC ICRs currently under review appears, look for the 
OMB control number of this ICR and then click on the ICR Reference 
Number. A copy of the FCC submission to OMB will be displayed.
    OMB Control Number: 3060-xxxx.
    Title: Section 64.604(c)(9), Emergency Interim Rule for 
Registration and Documentation of Disability for Eligibility to Use IP 
Captioned Telephone Service, CG Docket Nos. 13-24 and 03-123.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: New collection.

[[Page 7780]]

    Respondents: Business or other for-profit entities; individuals or 
households.
    Annual Number of Respondents and Responses: 12,004 respondents; 
24,000 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes (.50 hours) to 1 hour.
    Frequency of Response: On-going reporting requirement; One-time 
reporting requirement; Third party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. The 
statutory authority for this information collection is Sec. 225 [47 
U.S.C. 225] Telecommunications Services for Hearing-Impaired and 
Speech-Impaired Individuals; The Americans with Disabilities Act of 
1990 (ADA), Public Law 101-336, 104 Stat. 327, 366-69, enacted on July 
26, 1990.
    Total Annual Burden: 18,000 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $600,000.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: An assurance of 
confidentiality is not offered because this information collection does 
not require the collection of personally identifiable information (PII) 
from individuals.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: No impact(s).
    Needs and Uses: In the Emergency Interim Order (IP CTS Interim 
Order) the Commission finds good cause to adopt on an emergency basis 
interim rules requiring each Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone 
Service (IP CTS) provider, in order to be eligible for compensation 
from the Interstate Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund (Fund) 
for providing service to each new IP CTS user to register each new IP 
CTS user. As part of the registration process, each IP CTS provider 
must obtain from each user a self-certification that (1) the user has a 
hearing loss that necessitates IP CTS to communicate in a manner that 
is functionally equivalent to communication by conventional voice 
telephone users; (2) the user understands that the captioning service 
is provided by a live communications assistant (CA); and (3) the user 
understands that the cost of the IP CTS calls is funded by the TRS 
Fund. Where the consumer accepts IP CTS equipment at a price below $75 
from any source other than a governmental program, the IP CTS provider 
must also obtain from the user a certification from an independent, 
third-party professional attesting to the same. IP CTS providers are 
required to maintain the confidentiality of the registration and 
certification information that they obtain, as well as the content of 
such information, except as required by law. The Commission takes this 
action to prevent the unnecessary subscription to and use of the 
service by consumers without a hearing loss that necessitates the use 
of IP CTS to obtain functionally equivalent telephone service. If left 
unchecked, the TRS Fund that disburses to IP CTS providers may be 
compromised due to an unprecedented growth in new IP CTS consumers. The 
action taken in this IP CTS Interim Order will enable the Commission to 
better control the level of TRS disbursements and protect the 
programmatic, legal, and financial integrity of the TRS program. 
Conversely, failing to take immediate action to stem such practices 
could well threaten the availability of the IP CTS service and other 
relay services that are supported by the Fund for the benefit of 
legitimate users.
    The interim rules requiring providers to register and obtain 
certification from each new user will become effective upon publication 
in the Federal Register of a notice announcing the approval of such 
requirements by the Office of Management and Budget under the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995. The interim rules will sunset on a common date, 
which is 180 days after the effective date for the interim rules on 
registration and certification or on the effective date of final rules 
on these issues, whichever date comes sooner.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2013-02371 Filed 2-1-13; 8:45 am]
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