[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 52 (Friday, March 19, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14929-14930]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-05780]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Submission for OMB Review; 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 30 days of publication. OMB must make a 
decision about the collection of information between 30 and 60 days 
after publication of this document in the Federal Register. Therefore, 
a comment is best assured of having its full effect if OMB receives it 
within 30 days of publication.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed 
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of 
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Find this particular 
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.

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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[[Page 14930]]

    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 114.

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 5141.

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2021-05780 Filed 3-18-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-41-P