[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 187 (Thursday, September 26, 2019)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 50791]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-20489]


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 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
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  Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 187 / Thursday, September 26, 2019 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 50791]]



OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS

5 CFR Part 2635

RIN 3209-AA50


Announcement of public meeting: Legal Expense Fund Regulation

AGENCY: Office of Government Ethics (OGE).

ACTION: Announcement of public meeting.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) is hosting public 
meetings to engage in dialogue with interested members of the public 
regarding the development of a legal expense fund regulation. OGE will 
also accept additional written comments related to legal expense funds.

DATES: Written Comment Period Dates: Written comments must be received 
by November 5, 2019. Information on how to submit a written comment may 
be found in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.
    Public Meeting Dates: The public meetings will be held on the 
following dates:
     October 17, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Eastern 
time.
     October 22, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Eastern 
time.
    Information on how to register for the public meetings and 
registration deadlines may be found in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION 
section of this notice.

ADDRESSES: The two public meetings will be held at the Office of 
Government Ethics, 1201 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005-3917. 
A call-in number will be provided upon request.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel McRae, Associate Counsel, 
General Counsel and Legal Policy Division, Office of Government Ethics, 
Suite 500, 1201 New York Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20005-3917; 
Telephone: (202) 482-9300; TTY: (800) 877-8339; FAX: (202) 482-9237.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The U.S. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) 
is hosting public meetings to obtain the views of experts and 
interested parties regarding the development of a legal expense fund 
regulation. On April 15, 2019, OGE sought stakeholder input on issues 
specifically related to legal expense funds through an advance notice 
of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM). See Notice and Request for Comments: 
Legal Expense Fund Regulation, 84 FR 14146 (Apr. 15, 2019). In response 
to this ANPRM, OGE received written comments and heard testimony at a 
virtual public hearing on May 22, 2019. See https://www.oge.gov/Web/oge.nsf/Resources/Rulemaking.
    OGE is now inviting all interested members of the public to share 
ideas, provide information, and express concerns at public meetings 
about specific topics related to legal expense funds. These meetings 
will allow interested groups to hear and respond to the concerns of 
other affected persons and allow OGE to further develop our 
understanding of the views of various constituencies. The goal of these 
meetings is to exchange ideas rather than come to a consensus.
    To facilitate discussion at the public meetings, OGE welcomes input 
on issues related to legal expense funds, including, but not limited 
to, the following topics:
     Scope of a legal expense fund regulation, including:
    [cir] The types of legal matters to be covered by a legal expense 
fund regulation if the employee seeks to raise funds for legal expenses 
arising from those legal matters;
    [cir] Other possible sources of legal expense payments or legal 
support (e.g., pro bono assistance, established legal aid providers) 
outside of a legal expense fund; and
    [cir] The possibility of different rules for different types of 
employees.
     Structure of a legal expense fund, including:
    [cir] Number of eligible beneficiaries for a legal expense fund; 
and
    [cir] Legal structure used to establish a legal expense fund (e.g., 
trust, limited liability company, etc.).
    An agenda, a list of attendees, and a list of topics discussed will 
be posted to the following website at the conclusion of the public 
meetings: https://www.oge.gov/Web/oge.nsf/Resources/Rulemaking. There 
will be no transcription at the meetings. OGE is accepting additional 
written comments until November 5, 2019, during which time interested 
parties will have an opportunity to present further comment on issues 
related to legal expense funds.
    Registration: To ensure adequate room accomodations and to 
facilitate entry to the meeting space, individuals wishing to attend 
the public meetings must register by close of business on the following 
dates:
     October 10, 2019, for the meeting on October 17th.
     October 15, 2019, for the meeting on October 22nd.
    Individuals must register by sending an email to [email protected]. The 
email should include ``Legal Expense Fund Public Meeting'' in the 
subject line and include the name of the attendee(s) and the preferred 
date of attendance.
    Written Comments: To submit a written comment to OGE, please email 
[email protected], send a fax to: (202) 482-9237, or submit a paper copy 
to: Office of Government Ethics, Suite 500, 1201 New York Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20005-3917 by close of business on the date listed in 
the DATES section of this notice. Individuals must include OGE's agency 
name and the words ``Legal Expense Fund Regulation'' in all written 
comments. All written comments, including attachments and other 
supporting materials, will become part of the public record and be 
subject to public disclosure. Written comments may be posted on OGE's 
website, www.oge.gov. Sensitive personal information, such as account 
numbers or Social Security numbers, should not be included. Written 
comments generally will not be edited to remove any identifying or 
contact information

    Approved: September 18, 2019.
Emory Rounds,
Director, U.S. Office of Government Ethics.
[FR Doc. 2019-20489 Filed 9-25-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6345-03-P