[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 223 (Tuesday, November 21, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81086-81087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-25731]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Children and Families


Submission for OMB Review; 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 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. You can 
also obtain copies of the proposed collection of information by 
emailing [email protected]. Identify all emailed 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    of responses      hours per      Annual burden
                                               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

[[Page 81087]]

 
Ordering Brochures........................          2,604,802               1             .08            208,384
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    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 613,808.
    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(5)(C) and 652(a)(7).

Mary B. Jones,
ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer.
[FR Doc. 2023-25731 Filed 11-20-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4184-41-P