[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 62 (Wednesday, April 1, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17408-17409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07433]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

 Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; 2016 Government 
Units Survey

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before June 1, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at [email protected]).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Joy P. Pierson by email at 
[email protected] and Elizabeth Accetta at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    This request is for extension of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Title 13, Section 161 of the United States Code requires the 
Secretary of Commerce to conduct a Census of Governments every five 
years, in years ending in ``2'' and ``7''. Section 193 provides for the 
collection of preliminary and supplementary statistics as related to 
the main topic of the census. The Census of Governments publishes unit 
counts and legal descriptions as well as employment and finance data 
for all county, municipal, township, school district, and special 
district governments in the United States. Prior to conducting the 
Census of Governments it is necessary to ensure that the universe of 
all governments is as accurate and up to date as possible. The 
Government Units Survey (GUS) is conducted the year prior to the Census 
of Governments, and is used to evaluate and update the universe of all 
local and special district governments. The 2016 Government Units 
Survey (GUS) is the instrument for collecting current information to 
update the universe of all county, municipal, township, and special 
district governments for the 2017 Census of Governments. The 2016 GUS 
provides critical information needed to maintain the frame from which 
all public sector surveys are drawn. The GUS is particularly beneficial 
for identifying smaller units that have not been included in surveys in 
between census years and identifying changes to the universe of special 
district governments that experience substantial change in a five-year 
period. The GUS contributes to the quality and timely releases of the 
other components of the Census of Governments.
    The 2016 GUS will differ slightly from the former version of the 
Government Units Survey. The 2016 GUS is significantly shorter than the 
past version of the GUS. The 2016 GUS estimated time to respond is 15 
minutes, compared to the 2011 GUS which had an estimated time to 
respond of 45 minutes. The 2016 GUS is designed to diminish unnecessary 
burden to respondents, and to collect information essential to 
maintaining the government universe.
    The 2016 GUS will collect basic background information on all 
local, general purpose, and special district governments. The most 
basic information collected will include whether a government is still 
in existence. As previously noted, there are a number of governments, 
particularly special district governments, which have not been part of 
any survey or collection since the 2012 Census of Governments. It is 
necessary to determine if such governments are still in existence. The 
2016 GUS asks a follow-up question for those governments no longer in 
existence to provide, if applicable, contact information for a newly 
created or existing entity that may be providing the services or 
functions of the former government. It is necessary to verify and 
update all this information in the universe prior to the 2017 Census of 
Governments.
    The 2016 GUS asks all existing governments for contact information, 
including a mailing address and, if applicable, Web site address. This 
information is used to verify what currently exists in the universe and 
update any discrepancies. The contact information will be used when 
mailing the 2017 Census of Governments as well as for any public sector 
surveys conducted over the next five years.
    The 2016 GUS also asks questions on employment and defined-
contribution plans, defined-benefit, and post-

[[Page 17409]]

employment healthcare plans of governments. Specific, detailed 
questions on defined-benefit plans and defined-contribution plans are 
important to determine which plans are in scope for current and future 
public sector surveys the Census Bureau conducts. A Remarks section 
allows respondents to provide any additional insight that may be 
helpful to improve the universe of local and special district 
governments.

II. Method of Collection

    The 2016 Government Units Survey is a census of all counties, 
municipalities, townships, and special districts. Respondents have the 
option of responding by paper, via the Internet, by telephone, or by 
facsimile. An advance notification informing respondents of the 
impending arrival of the Government Units Survey will be mailed two 
weeks prior to mailing the questionnaire. The Government Units Survey 
questionnaire will be mailed to respondents in February 2016 followed 
by a reminder letter a month later, and a follow-up mailing in April 
2016. The 2016 Government Units Survey questionnaire will provide a Web 
site for respondents who choose to respond electronically. The Web site 
is secure and respondents will receive a unique user identification and 
password, which will be included in a letter accompanying the 
questionnaire. A toll free number will also be provided to respondents 
on the questionnaire which respondents may use to ask questions or to 
provide responses. A telephone number and instructions to respond to 
the 2016 GUS by facsimile will be provided upon request to respondents.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0930.
    Form Number(s): GUS-1.
    Type of Review: Regular (extension of a currently approved 
information collection).
    Affected Public: Public sector entities consisting of local, 
general purpose, and special district governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: Approximately 77,000.
    Estimated Time per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 19,250.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0 in recordkeeping/
reporting costs.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Sections 161 and 193.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: March 27, 2015.
Sarah Brabson,
NOAA PRA Clearance Officer, submitting for Census.
[FR Doc. 2015-07433 Filed 3-31-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-07-P