[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 215 (Thursday, November 5, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Page 70634]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-24592]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; OCSE Stafford Act 
Flexibilities Request Form (New Collection)

AGENCY: Office of Child Support Enforcement, Administration for 
Children and Families, HHS.

ACTION: Request for Public Comment.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), Administration 
for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS), seeks approval of a standardized request form to 
collect information from state and tribal title IV-D child support 
agencies requesting administrative flexibilities under the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (the ``Stafford 
Act''), due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

DATES: Comments due within 60 days of publication. In compliance with 
the requirements of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995, ACF is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects 
of the information collection described above.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the proposed collection of information can be 
obtained and comments may be forwarded by emailing 
[email protected]. Alternatively, copies can also be obtained 
by writing to the Administration for Children and Families, Office of 
Planning, Research, and Evaluation (OPRE), 330 C Street SW, Washington, 
DC 20201, Attn: ACF Reports Clearance Officer. All requests, emailed or 
written, should be identified by the title of the information 
collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Description: Due to the exceptional impact of the COVID-19 
pandemic, state and tribal agencies operating child support programs 
under title IV-D of the Social Security Act have faced significant 
operational and other challenges in providing critical child support 
services to families. Section 301 of the Stafford Act, 42 U.S.C. 5141, 
provides that ``Any Federal agency charged with the administration of a 
Federal assistance program may, if so requested by the applicant State 
[or Indian tribal government] or local authorities, modify or waive, 
for a major disaster, such administrative conditions for assistance as 
would otherwise prevent the giving of assistance under such programs if 
the inability to meet such conditions is a result of the major 
disaster.'' To communicate that child support agencies may request 
relief under the Stafford Act, on May 28, 2020, OCSE published Dear 
Colleague Letter 20-04: Flexibilities for State and Tribal Child 
Support Agencies during COVID-19 Pandemic. OCSE seeks approval of a 
standardized request form to collect information from state and tribal 
IV-D agencies requesting Stafford Act administrative flexibilities, due 
to the COVID-19 pandemic and according to OCSE Dear Colleague Letter 
20-04.
    Respondents: State and tribal agencies administering a child 
support program under title IV-D of the Social Security Act.
    Annual Burden Estimates

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                                                                                      Total Number of   Average burden
                             Instrument                              Total Number of   responses per      hours per       Total burden    Annual burden
                                                                       respondents       respondent        response          hours            hours
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OCSE Stafford Act Flexibilities Request Form.......................             114                3                1              342              114
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 114
    Comments: The Department specifically requests comments 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 of the proposed collection of 
information; (c) 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. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted 
within 60 days of this publication.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 5141.

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020-24592 Filed 11-4-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-41-P