[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20977-20978]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-06366]



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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Administration for Community Living


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Public Comment Request; for the State Plan of Assistive Technology (OMB 
Control Number 0985-0048)

AGENCY: Administration for Community Living, HHS.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is announcing an 
opportunity for the public to comment on the proposed collection of 
information listed above. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(PRA), Federal agencies are required to publish a notice in the Federal 
Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including 
each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and 
to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This 
collection of information extension solicits comments on the 
information collection requirements relating to the State Plan of 
Assistive Technology (OMB Control Number 0985-0048).

DATES: Comments on the collection of information must be submitted 
electronically by 11:59 p.m. (EDT) or postmarked by May 28, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Submit electronic comments on the collection of information 
to: Rob Groenendaal [email protected]. Submit written 
comments on the collection of information to Administration for 
Community Living, 330 C Street SW, Washington, DC 20201, Attention: Rob 
Groenendaal [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rob Groenendaal, 
[email protected], (202) 795-7356.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal 
agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. 
``Collection of information'' is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 
1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of 
the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a 
third party. The PRA requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day 
notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of 
information, including each proposed extension of an existing 
collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for 
approval. To comply with this requirement, ACL is publishing a notice 
of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document.
    With respect to the following collection of information, ACL 
invites comments on our burden estimates or any other aspect of this 
collection of information, including:
    (1) whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for 
the proper performance of ACL's functions, including whether the 
information will have practical utility;
    (2) the accuracy of ACL's estimate of the burden of the proposed 
collection of information, including the validity of the methodology 
and assumptions used to determine burden estimates;
    (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    (4) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
respondents, including using automated collection techniques when 
appropriate, and other forms of information technology. Section 4 of 
the 21st Century Assistive Technology Act (AT Act) provides grants to 
States and Territories to operate comprehensive statewide assistive 
technology programs (Statewide AT Programs) that increase access to and 
acquisition of AT devices and services for individuals with 
disabilities and older Americans. States and Territories are required 
to apply to ACL in order to receive funds under this grant program. 
Section 4(d) of the AT Act requires that this application contain:
    (1) information identifying and describing the lead agency and 
implementing entity (if applicable) responsible for carrying out the 
Statewide AT Program and a description of how the implementing entity 
(if applicable) coordinates and collaborates with the State;
    (2) a description of how public and private entities were involved 
in the development of the application and will be involved in 
implementation of the grant, including the resources to be committed by 
these entities;
    (3) a description of how the Statewide AT Program will implement 
the activities required under the grant, which include State financing, 
device reutilization, device loans, device demonstrations, training, 
technical assistance, and public awareness. Statewide AT Programs must 
conduct these activities in coordination and collaboration with other 
appropriate entities;
    (4) an explanation of how the grant funds will be allocated, used, 
and tracked;
    (5) a set of assurances; and
    (6) a description of the activities that will be supported with 
State funds.

Section 4 Requirements Necessitating Submission of the State Plan for 
AT and Annual Data Collection

    Section 4 of the AT Act authorizes grants to public agencies in the 
50 States and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin 
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Marianas (States and outlying areas). With these funds, the 56 States 
and Territories operate ``Statewide AT Programs'' that conduct 
activities to increase access to, and acquisition of, assistive 
technology (AT) for individuals with disabilities and older Americans. 
These comprehensive activities are divided into two categories: 
``State-level Activities'' and ``State Leadership Activities.''
    According to section 4 of the AT Act, as a condition of receiving a 
grant to support their Statewide AT Programs, the 56 States and 
Territories must provide to ACL: (1) applications and (2) annual 
progress reports on their activities.
    Applications: The application required of States and Territories is 
a three-year State Plan for Assistive Technology (State Plan for AT or 
State Plan) (OMB No. 0985-0048). The content of the State Plan for AT 
is based on the requirements in section 4(d) of the AT Act. As a part 
of this State Plan, section 4(d)(3) of the AT Act requires that States 
and Territories conduct activities addressing the assistive technology 
needs of individuals with disabilities in education, employment, 
community living and information technology/telecommunications.
    National aggregation of data related to the required State-level 
and State leadership activities is necessary for the Government 
Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 (GPRAMA) as well as 
an Annual Report to Congress. Therefore, this State Plan for AT 
instrument provides a way for all 56 grantees--50 U.S. States, DC, 
Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to collect and report data 
on their performance in a consistent manner.
    Annual Reports: In addition to submitting a State Plan for AT every 
three years, States and outlying areas are required to submit annual 
progress reports on their activities. The data

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required in that progress report is specified in section 4(f) of the AT 
Act.

Section 8 Requirements Necessitating Collection

    Section 8(d) of the AT Act requires that ACL submit to Congress an 
annual report on the activities identified in the State Plan for AT and 
an analysis of the progress of the States and Territories in meeting 
their measurable goals. The State Plan for AT must include a 
compilation and summary of the activities conducted under section 4(f). 
In order to make this possible, States and Territories must provide 
their data uniformly. This State Plan for AT instrument was developed 
to ensure that all 56 States and Territories report data in a 
consistent manner in alignment with the requirements of section 4(f).
    The proposed data collection tools may be found on the ACL website 
for review at: https://www.acl.gov/about-acl/public-input.
    Estimated Program Burden: ACL estimates the burden of this 
collection of information as follows: Fifty-six grantees report to ACL 
using the web-based data collection system. A workgroup of grantees 
estimated that the average amount of time required to complete all 
responses to the data collection instrument is 73 hours annually. The 
burden estimates affect the reporting responsibilities of the Statewide 
AT Programs, and the directors were chosen to represent the diversity 
of the 56 programs based on regions of the country, sizes of the 
programs, types of agencies operating the programs, and whether the 
director is an individual with a disability. The estimated response 
burden includes time to review the instructions, gather existing 
information, and complete and review the data entries.
    a. Number of respondents: 56.
    b. Frequency of response: 1.
    c. Total annual responses (a x b): 56.
    d. Hours per response: 73.
    e. Total burden hours (c x d): 4,088.

    Dated: March 20, 2024.
Alison Barkoff,
Principal Deputy Administrator for the Administration for Community 
Living, performing the delegable duties of the Administrator and the 
Assistant Secretary for Aging.
[FR Doc. 2024-06366 Filed 3-25-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4154-01-P