[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 155 (Monday, August 12, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39854-39855]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-17172]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Public Comment Request; State Plan for Independent Living Instrument 
and Instructions OMB Control Number 0985-0044

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an 
opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of 
information listed above. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including 
each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and 
to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.
    This Proposed Revision of a Currently Approved Collection (ICR Rev) 
solicits comments on the information collection requirements related to 
the State Plan for Independent Living.

DATES: Comments on the collection of information must be submitted 
electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EST) or postmarked by October 11, 2019.

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the information collection 
request to: Peter Nye at [email protected]. Submit written comments 
on the collection of information to Administration for Community 
Living, Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Peter Nye.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Nye, Administration for 
Community Living, Washington, DC 20201, (202) 795-7606, or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA, Federal agencies must obtain 
approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each 
collection of information they conduct or sponsor, including agency 
requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, 
keep records, or provide information to a third party. The PRA requires 
Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register 
concerning each proposed collection of information, including each 
proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before 
submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this 
requirement, ACL is publishing a notice of the proposed collection of 
information set forth in this document. With respect to the following 
collection of information, ACL invites comments on our burden estimates 
or any other aspect of this collection of information, including:
    (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of ACL's functions, including whether the 
information will have practical utility;
    (2) the accuracy of ACL's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used to determine burden estimates;
    (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques when appropriate, and other forms of information technology.
    Legal authority for the State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) is 
contained in Chapter 1 of Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 
as amended (the Act). Section 704 of the Rehabilitation Act requires 
that, to be eligible to receive financial assistance under Chapter 1, 
``a State shall submit to the Department, and obtain approval of, a 
State plan containing such provisions as the Department may require.'' 
ACL approval of the SPIL is required for states to receive federal 
funding for both the Independent Living Services State grants and 
Centers for Independent Living (CIL) programs. Federal statute and 
regulations require the collection of this information every three 
years.
    The SPIL is jointly developed by the chairperson of the Statewide 
Independent Living Council (SILC) and not less than 51% of the 
directors of the CILs, after receiving public input from individuals 
throughout the State. ACL reviews the SPIL for compliance with the 
Rehabilitation Act and its applicable regulations (Sec 704(a)(4); 45 
CFR part 1329.17) and approves the SPIL. It serves statewide as a 
primary planning document that describe[s] strategies--including how, 
and to whom, the state will disburse what funds--for providing 
independent living services and designates the Designated State Entity. 
The SPIL also assures that all IL grantees in the state will comply 
with the Act's requirements. Sec.  704(a)(5) of the Act; 45 CFR 
1329.17(a-b), citing sec. 704(m) of the Act. The SPIL Instrument is the 
template for SPILs; the SPIL Instructions explain the Instrument and 
give tips about how to draft SPILs.
    ACL is proposing this revision because ACL and the technical 
assistance provider have been revising the Instrument and Instructions 
to address changes to the Act that result from the Workforce Innovation 
and Opportunity Act of 2014, 29 U.S.C. 32, and to increase the 
Instrument's and Instructions' clarity, conciseness, and precision. For 
example,
     The revised Instrument and Instructions will reflect the 
core services that WIOA requires.
     The revised Instructions will explain the state matching 
requirement, and the revised Instrument will specify how to include the 
state match in the financial plan.
     The revised Instrument and Instructions will add legal 
basis and certifications and DSE assurances and SILC assurances.

[[Page 39855]]

     The Revised Instrument and Instructions will include a 
chart for the financial plan and a chart for the existing centers that 
specifies what counties they serve, what entities oversee them, and 
what oversight processes apply.
     The Revised Instrument will include a signatures section.
    These revisions were recommended by the technical assistance 
provider and analyzed by all the independent living program officers 
who work directly with SPILs.
    The proposed data collection tools may be found on the ACL website 
for review at https://www.acl.gov/about-acl/public-input.
    Estimated Program Burden: ACL estimates the burden associated with 
this collection of information as follows: 56 SILCs will respond to the 
requirement for a SPIL every three years. Each state's SILC will take 
approximately 240 hours to develop the SPIL for a total of 
approximately 13,440 hours. This estimate is based on program 
knowledge.

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                                                     Number of     Responses per     Hours per     Annual burden
       Respondent/data collection activity          respondents     respondent       response          hours
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Statewide Independent Living Councils...........              56               1             240          13,440
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    Total.......................................              56               1             240          13,440
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    Dated: August 6, 2019.
Mary Lazare,
Principal Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019-17172 Filed 8-9-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4154-01-P