[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 217 (Monday, November 13, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 77522-77523]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24876]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 54

[CC Docket Nos. 02-6, 96-45 and 97-21; FCC 23-56; FR ID 184270]


Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, 
Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, and Changes to the 
Board of Directors of the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective date.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission 
(Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
has approved, until November 30, 2024, the information collection 
associated with the Commission's Schools and Libraries Universal 
Service Support Mechanism, Federal-State Joint Board on Universal 
Service, and Changes to the Board of Directors of the National Exchange 
Carrier Association, Inc. Report and Order's (Order) E-Rate rules. This 
document is consistent with the Order, which stated the Commission 
would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the 
effective date of the amendments to the Commission's regulations.

DATES: The amendments to 47 CFR 54.503(c)(2)(i)(B) and 54.504(a)(1)(ii) 
published at 88 FR 55410, August 15, 2023 are effective November 13, 
2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-
2991 or via email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This document announces that, on September 
25, 2023, OMB approved the information collection requirements relating 
to the E-Rate rules contained in the Commission's Order, FCC 23-56, 
published at 88 FR 55410, August 15, 2023. The OMB Control Number is 
3060-0806. The Commission publishes this document as an announcement of 
the effective date of the rules. If you have any comments on the burden 
estimates listed below, or how the Commission can improve the 
collections and reduce any burdens caused thereby, please contact 
Nicole Ongele, Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20554. Please include the OMB Control Number, 3060-0806, 
in your correspondence. The Commission will also accept your comments 
via email at [email protected].
    To request materials in accessible formats for people with 
disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), 
send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer and Governmental 
Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Synopsis

    As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3507), the Commission is notifying the public that it received OMB 
approval on September 25, 2023, for the information collection 
requirements contained in 47 CFR 54.503(c)(2)(i)(B) and 
54.504(a)(1)(ii) published at 88 FR 55410, August 15, 2023. Under 5 CFR 
part 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of 
information unless it displays a current, valid OMB Control Number.
    No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply 
with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
that does not display a current, valid OMB Control Number. The OMB 
Control Number is 3060-0806.
    The foregoing notice is required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995, Public Law 104-13, October 1, 1995, and 44 U.S.C. 3507.
    The total annual reporting burdens and costs for the respondents 
are as follows:
    OMB Control Number: 3060-0806.
    OMB Approval Date: September 25, 2023.
    OMB Expiration Date: November 30, 2024.
    Title: Universal Service--Schools and Libraries Universal Service 
Program, FCC Forms 470 and 471.
    Form Number: FCC Form 470 and FCC Form 471.
    Respondents: State, local or tribal government institutions, and 
other not-for-profit institutions.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 43,000 respondents; 67,100 
responses.

[[Page 77523]]

    Estimated Time per Response: 3.5 hours for FCC Form 470 (3 hours 
for response; 0.5 hours for recordkeeping; 4.5 hours for FCC Form 471 
(4 hours for response; 0.5 hours for recordkeeping).
    Frequency of Response: On occasion and annual reporting 
requirements, and recordkeeping requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 
sections 1, 4(i), 4(j), 201-205, 214, 254, and 403 of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151-154, 201-205, 
218-220, 254, 303(r), 403 and 405.
    Total Annual Burden: 273,950 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: No Cost.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission received approval from OMB for this 
information collection. On July 21, 2023, the Commission released the 
Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, Federal-
State Joint Board on Universal Service, and Changes to the Board of 
Directors of the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. Report and 
Order in CC Docket Nos. 02-6, 96-45, and 97-21; FCC 23-56 (Order) 
amending E-Rate rules. This information collection addresses program 
certifications in the Schools and Libraries Universal Service 
Description of Services Requested and Certification Forms 470 (E-Rate 
FCC Form 470) and 471 (E-Rate FCC Form 471), and makes other non-
substantive changes to certain fields to the E-Rate FCC Form 471. 
Collection of the information on FCC Forms 470 and 471 is necessary so 
that the Commission and USAC have sufficient information to determine 
if entities are eligible for funding pursuant to the schools and 
libraries support mechanism, to determine if entities are complying 
with the Commission's rules, and to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. In 
addition, the information is necessary for the Commission to evaluate 
the extent to which the E-Rate program is meeting the statutory 
objectives specified in section 254(h) of the 1996 Act, and the 
Commission's performance goals established in the E-Rate Modernization 
Order and Second E-Rate Modernization Order.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2023-24876 Filed 11-9-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P