[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 83 (Wednesday, April 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24454-24455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-09826]


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LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION


Notice of Proposed Revisions for the LSC Grant Assurances for 
Calendar Year 2015 Funding

AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation.

ACTION: Notice of proposed changes and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (``LSC'') intends to revise the 
LSC Grant Assurances for calendar year 2015 funding and is soliciting 
public comment on the proposed changes. The proposed revisions affect 
Grant Assurances 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, and 16. The proposed LSC grant 
assurances for calendar year 2015 funding, in redline format indicating 
the proposed changes to the current ``LSC 2014 Grant Assurances,'' are 
available at http://grants.lsc.gov/sites/default/files/Grants/ReferenceMaterials/2015-GrantAssurances-Proposed.pdf.

DATES: All comments and recommendations must be received on or before 
the close of business on May 30, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted by mail, email, or fax to 
Reginald J. Haley, Office of Program Performance, Legal Services 
Corporation, 3333 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20007; 
[email protected]; or (202) 337-6813 (fax). Comments may also 
be submitted online at http://www.lsc.gov/contact-us.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Reginald J. Haley, [email protected], 
(202) 295-1545.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The purpose of the LSC grant assurances is 
to delineate the rights and responsibilities of LSC and the recipient 
pursuant to the provisions of the grant. As a grant making agency 
created by Congress, LSC has grant assurances that are intended to 
reiterate and/or clarify the responsibilities and obligations already 
applicable through existing law and regulations and/or obligate the 
recipient to comply with specific additional requirements in order to 
effectuate the purposes of the Legal Services Corporation Act, as 
amended, and other applicable law. A summary of the changes proposed 
follows.
    Grant Assurance 8 requires LSC recipients to have an 
information security system, the capacity to conduct program-wide 
conflicts checking, a system for backing up program data, the capacity 
to digitally transmit data to LSC, and appropriate computer hardware 
and software for casehandlers. The proposed change is a technical edit 
in the last sentence of grant assurance 8, paragraph (e).
    Grant Assurance 9 requires LSC recipients to work with 
other LSC and non-LSC funded legal services providers in the state to 
ensure that there is a statewide Web site that publishes a full range 
of legal information covering the common issues facing the client 
community. The proposed changes to the grant assurance requires LSC 
recipients to notify site visitors that LSC recipients' participation 
in the Web site is consistent with LSC restrictions and provides 
recipients with sample disclaimer language to that effect.
    Grant Assurance 10 requires LSC recipients to give LSC and 
the U.S. Comptroller General access to records they are entitled to 
under the provisions of the LSC Act and other applicable law. The 
proposed change to the grant assurance requires LSC recipients to 
provide access to records in accordance with Federal law. The proposed 
change results from the recent decision of the Court of Appeals for the 
District of Columbia Circuit in U.S. v. Cal. Rural Legal Assistance, 
722 F.3d 424. In that

[[Page 24455]]

case, which involved an action to enforce a subpoena for documents held 
by an LSC recipient, the DC Circuit held that Federal law regarding 
privilege, not state law, governs. The proposed change also includes 
technical edits in the last two sentences, which further clarify the 
grant assurance.
    Grant Assurance 11 requires LSC recipients to provide LSC 
and other Federal agencies auditing the recipient access to financial 
records, time records, retainer agreements, client trust fund and 
eligibility records, and client names, except for those reports or 
records that may be properly withheld under Federal law. As with Grant 
Assurance 10, the proposed change results from the decision in 
U.S. v. Cal. Rural Legal Assistance. The proposed change also includes 
technical edits, which further clarify the grant assurance.
    Grant Assurance 15 requires LSC recipients to notify LSC 
of any crime, fraud, misappropriation, embezzlement, or theft or loss 
of $200 or more or theft involving property regardless of whether the 
funds or property are recovered; when local, state, or Federal law 
enforcement officials are contacted by the program about a crime; or 
when it has been the victim of a theft that could lead to a loss of 
$200 or more. The proposed change to the grant assurance notifies LSC 
recipients that fraudulent timekeeping must also be reported to LSC.
    Grant Assurance 16 requires recipients to notify LSC of a 
receipt of any notice of a claim for attorney's fees from the 
recipient; any monetary judgment, sanction, or penalty entered against 
the recipient; or a force majeure event. The proposed change to the 
grant assurance requires LSC recipients to notify LSC if any of the 
recipient's key officials is charged with fraud, misappropriation, 
embezzlement, theft, or any similar offense, or is subjected to 
suspension, loss of license, or other disciplinary action by a bar or 
other professional licensing organization.

    Dated: April 25, 2014.
Stefanie K. Davis,
Assistant General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2014-09826 Filed 4-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7050-01-P