[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 180 (Tuesday, September 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48928-48929]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20057]



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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[OMB 3060-1225]


Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal 
Communications Commission

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) invites the 
general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to 
comment on the following information collections. 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 Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) 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 OMB control number.

DATES: Written PRA comments should be submitted on or before November 
18, 2019. 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 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:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-1225.
    Title: National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Individuals or households; businesses or other for-
profit entities; not-for-profit institutions; state, local, or tribal 
governments.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 69 respondents; 3,806 
responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.5 hours (30 minutes) to 40 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual, semiannual, quarterly, monthly, one 
time, and on occasion reporting requirements; recordkeeping 
requirement; third-party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefit. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), and 719 of the Communications Act, as amended, 
47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 154(j), and 620.
    Total Annual Burden: 7,793 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $600.
    Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: Confidentiality is an issue 
to the extent that individuals and households provide personally 
identifiable information, which is covered under the Commission's 
system of records notice (SORN), FCC/CGB-3, ``National Deaf-Blind 
Equipment Distribution Program,'' which became effective on February 
28, 2012.
    Privacy Impact Assessment: The Commission is in the process of 
preparing the Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA) related to the personally 
identified information (PII) covered by these information collections, 
as required by OMB's Memorandum M-03-22 (September 26, 2003) and by the 
Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C. 552a.
    Needs and Uses: Section 105 of the Twenty-First Century 
Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) added section 
719 to the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act). Pubic Law 
111-260, 124 Stat. 2751 (2010); Public Law 111-265, 124 Stat. 2795 
(2010) (making technical corrections); 47 U.S.C. 620. Section 719 of 
the Act requires the Commission to establish rules that define as 
eligible for up to $10,000,000 of support annually from the Interstate 
Telecommunications Relay Service Fund (TRS Fund) those programs that 
are approved by the Commission for the distribution of specialized 
customer premises equipment designed to make telecommunications 
service, internet access service, and advanced communications, 
including interexchange services and advanced telecommunications and 
information services, accessible by low-income individuals who are 
deaf-blind. 47 U.S.C. 620(a), (c). Accordingly, on April 6, 2011, the 
Commission released a Report and Order, document FCC 11-56, that 
established the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program 
(NDBEDP) as a pilot program.
    On August 5, 2016, the Commission released a Report and Order, 
document FCC 16-101, adopting rules to establish the NDBEDP, also known 
as ``iCanConnect,'' as a permanent program. See 47 CFR 64.6201 through 
64.6219.
    In document FCC 16-101, the Commission adopted rules requiring the 
following:
    (a) Entities must apply to the Commission for certification to 
receive reimbursement from the TRS Fund for NDBEDP activities. The 
FCC's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB or Bureau) 
certified 56 programs--one for each state, the District of Columbia, 
American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and 
the U.S. Virgin Islands--for a period of five years, from July 1, 2017, 
through June 30, 2022. Incumbent programs must apply to renew their 
certifications, if desired, and potential new entrants must also apply 
for certification by July 1, 2021.
    (b) A program wishing to relinquish its certification before its 
certification expires must provide written notice of its intent to do 
so.
    (c) Certified programs must disclose to the Commission actual or 
potential conflicts of interest.
    (d) Certified programs must notify the Commission of any 
substantive change that bears directly on its ability to meet the 
qualifications necessary for certification.
    (e) A certified entity may present written arguments and any 
relevant documentation as to why suspension or revocation of 
certification is not warranted.
    (f) When a new entity is certified as a state's program, the 
previously certified entity must take certain actions to complete the 
transition to the new entity.
    (g) Certified programs must require an applicant to provide 
verification that the applicant is deaf-blind.
    (h) Certified programs must require an applicant to provide 
verification that the applicant meets the income eligibility 
requirement.
    (i) Certified programs must re-verify the income and disability 
eligibility of an equipment recipient under certain circumstances.

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    (j) Certified programs must permit the transfer of an equipment 
recipient's account when the recipient relocates to another state.
    (k) Certified programs must include an attestation on consumer 
application forms.
    (l) Certified programs must conduct annual audits and submit to 
Commission-directed audits.
    (m) Certified programs must document compliance with NDBEDP 
requirements, provide such documentation to the Commission upon 
request, and retain such records for at least five years.
    (n) Certified programs must submit reimbursement claims as 
instructed by the TRS Fund Administrator, and supplemental information 
and documentation as requested. In addition, the entity selected to 
conduct national outreach will submit claims for reimbursement on a 
quarterly basis.
    (o) Certified programs must submit reports every six months as 
instructed by the NDBEDP Administrator. In addition, the entity 
selected to conduct national outreach will submit an annual report.
    (p) Informal and formal complaints may be filed against NEDBEDP 
certified programs, and the Commission may conduct such inquiries and 
hold such proceedings as it may deem necessary.
    (q) Certified programs must include the NDBEDP whistleblower 
protections in appropriate publications.

Federal Communications Commission.
Katura Jackson,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-20057 Filed 9-16-19; 8:45 am]
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