[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 124 (Thursday, June 29, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42075-42076]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-13855]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Proposed Information Collection Activity; Voluntary 
Acknowledgment of Paternity and Required Data Elements for Paternity 
Establishment Affidavits

AGENCY: Office of Child Support Services, Administration for Children 
and Families, United States Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Child Support Services (OCSS), Administration 
for Children and Families (ACF), United States Department of Health and 
Human Services, is requesting a three-year extension of the Voluntary 
Acknowledgment of Paternity and Required Data Elements for Paternity 
Establishment Affidavits (OMB #0970-0171, expiration 1/31/2024). No 
changes are proposed.

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

ADDRESSES: You can obtain copies of the proposed collection of 
information and submit comments by emailing [email protected]. 
Identify all requests by the title of the information collection.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Description: Section 466(a)(5)(C) of the Social Security Act 
requires States to enact laws ensuring a simple civil process for 
voluntarily acknowledging paternity via an affidavit. The development 
and use of an affidavit for the voluntary acknowledgment of paternity 
would include the minimum requirements of the affidavit specified by 
the Secretary under section 452(a)(7) of the Social Security Act and 
give full faith and credit to such an affidavit signed in any other 
State according to its procedures. The State must provide that, before 
a mother and putative father can sign a voluntary acknowledgment of 
paternity, the mother and putative father must be given notice, orally, 
or through the use of video equipment, and in writing, of the 
alternatives to, the legal consequences of, and the rights (including 
any rights, if one parent is a minor, due to minority status) and 
responsibilities of acknowledging paternity. The affidavits will be 
used by hospitals, birth record agencies, and other entities 
participating in the voluntary paternity establishment program to 
collect information from the parents of nonmarital children.
    Respondents: The parents of nonmarital children, State and Tribal 
agencies operating child support programs under Title IV-D of the 
Social Security Act, hospitals, birth record agencies, and other 
entities participating in the voluntary paternity establishment 
program.

                                             Annual Burden Estimates
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                                                                   Annual number  Average burden
                   Instrument                      Total number    of responses      hours per     Annual burden
                                                  of respondents  per respondent     response          hours
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Training........................................         130,240               1               1         130,240
Paternity Acknowledgment Process................       1,618,412               1            0.17         275,130
Data Elements...................................              54               1               1              54
Ordering Brochures..............................       2,604,802               1             .08         208,384
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 613,808.
    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

[[Page 42076]]

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. 666(a)(5)(C) and 652(a)(7).

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-13855 Filed 6-28-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-41-P