[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 26, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66309-66310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-27861]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR


Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; 
National Database of Childcare Costs Submission for Review: National 
Database of Childcare Costs

AGENCY: Women's Bureau, DOL.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau (WB) is 
soliciting comments concerning a proposed information collection 
request (ICR) titled, ``National Database of Childcare Costs''. This 
comment request is part of continuing Departmental efforts to reduce 
paperwork and respondent burden in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until February 25, 
2019.

ADDRESSES: A copy of this ICR with applicable supporting documentation; 
including a description of the likely respondents, proposed frequency 
of response, and estimated total burden may be obtained without charge 
by contacting the U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau, Room S-
3002, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210, (202)693-6710, 
[email protected]. Comments in response to this notice should be 
submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at 
https://www.regulations.gov by selecting the Docket ID number or via 
postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. Please note that 
comments submitted by fax or email and those submitted after the 
comment period will not be accepted. Comments submitted by postal mail 
or delivery should be addressed to U.S. Department of Labor, Women's 
Bureau, Room S-3002, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, contact Sarah Miller by telephone at (202)693-
6716 (this is not a toll-free number) or by email at 
[email protected]. For technical questions, contact: Liana Christin 
Landivar by telephone at (202)693-6713 (this is not a toll-free number) 
or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The DOL, as part of continuing efforts to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing collections of 
information before submitting them to the OMB for final approval. This 
program helps to ensure requested data can be provided in the desired 
format, reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements can be properly assessed. This proposed 
information collection seeks to establish the National Database of 
Childcare Costs. State-administered Market Rate Surveys are conducted 
by state human services or workforce development offices as a 
requirement to receive Child Care and Development Block Grants (CCDBG). 
The surveys establish a benchmark of the local prices of various types 
of care (e.g., center-based, home-based, family-provided) by age of 
children (i.e., infants, preschool, and school-age children). These 
surveys are used to establish the maximum reimbursement rates for 
childcare subsidies. Market Rate Surveys sample all eligible centers 
and care providers and obtain the full market price of care. Because 
the state Market Rate Surveys establish the full market price of care 
in local areas, these data are ideal to examine local childcare prices. 
However, these data are not reported to the federal government and they 
are retained by the states.
    This information collection would request Market Rate Survey data 
from all states and reconcile measures for uniformity across the 
states. Metrics would be made comparable and geography would be 
standardized to be able to combine these data for analysis with county 
characteristics available from the American Community Survey. The 
database would be evaluated to protect respondent confidentiality, 
implementing proper disclosure avoidance techniques in counties with 
small samples. The database would be made available to the public as a 
research tool to understand childcare prices at the county level and 
changes in childcare prices over time. Section 2 of Public Law 66-259 
that established the Women's Bureau authorizes this information 
collection. See 29 U.S.C. 13.
    This information collection is subject to the PRA. A Federal agency 
generally cannot conduct or sponsor a collection of information, and 
the public is generally not required to respond to an information 
collection, unless it is approved by the OMB under the PRA and displays 
a currently valid OMB Control Number. In addition, notwithstanding any 
other provisions of law, no person shall generally be subject to 
penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that 
does not display a valid Control Number. See 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and 
1320.6.
    Interested parties are encouraged to provide comments to the 
contact shown in the ADDRESSES section. Comments must be written to 
receive consideration, and they will be summarized and included in the 
request for OMB approval of the final ICR. In order to help ensure 
appropriate consideration, comments should

[[Page 66310]]

mention ICR Reference Number 201811-1290-002.
    Submitted comments will also be a matter of public record for this 
ICR and posted on the internet, without redaction. The DOL encourages 
commenters not to include personally identifiable information, 
confidential business data, or other sensitive statements/information 
in any comments.
    The DOL is particularly interested in comments that:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submission of responses.

Analysis

    Agency: DOL-WB.
    Type of Review: New Collection.
    Collection Title: National Database of Childcare Costs.
    ICR Reference Number: 201811-1290-002.
    Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments.
    Number of Respondents: 51.
    Annual Frequency: Once.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 51.
    Estimated Average Time per Response: 3 hours.
    Total Annual Burden Time: 153 hours.
    Total Estimated Annual Other Cost Burden: $0.

    Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A).

    Dated: December 19, 2018.
Patricia G. Greene,
Director, Women's Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2018-27861 Filed 12-21-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4510-HD-P