[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 109 (Wednesday, June 5, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48192-48193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-12250]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

[OMB Number 1123-0011]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection 
eComments Requested; Revision of a Previously Approved Collection; 
Equitable Sharing Agreement and Certification (ESAC) Report

AGENCY: Criminal Division (MLARS), Department of Justice.

ACTION: 60-Day notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Justice (DOJ), Money Laundering and Asset 
Recovery Section (MLARS), will be submitting the following information 
collection request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 
1995.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until 
August 5, 2024

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have additional comments 
especially on the estimated public burden or associated response time, 
suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection 
instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact 
Teresa Franklin, Criminal Division (MLARS), 1400 New York Avenue NW, 
Washington, DC 20005, (202) 304-9201, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Written comments and suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of 
information are encouraged. Your comments should address one or more of 
the following four points:

--Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is necessary 
for the proper performance of the functions of the Bureau of Justice 
Statistics, including whether the information will have practical 
utility;
--Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the 
proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
--Evaluate whether and if so how the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected can be enhanced; and
--Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are 
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.


[[Page 48193]]


    Abstract: The Attorney General is required by statute to ``assure 
that any property transferred to a State or local law enforcement 
agency . . . will serve to encourage further cooperation between the 
recipient State or local agency and Federal law enforcement agencies.'' 
21 U.S.C. 881(e)(3). MLARS ensures such cooperation by requiring that 
all such ``equitably shared'' funds be used only for law enforcement 
purposes and not be distributed to other governmental agencies by the 
recipient law enforcement agencies. By requiring that law enforcement 
agencies that participate in the Equitable Sharing Program (Program) 
file an Equitable Sharing Agreement and Certification (ESAC), MLARS can 
readily ensure compliance with its statutory obligations.
    The ESAC requires information regarding the receipt and expenditure 
of Program funds from the participating agency. Accordingly, it seeks 
information that is exclusively in the hands of the participating 
agency and governing jurisdiction. This collection request is 
classified as a revision due to updated requirements incorporated in a 
revised version of the Guide to Equitable Sharing for State, Local, and 
Tribal Law Enforcement Agencies, in addition to format changes and 
deleting and relabeling some fields.

Overview of This Information Collection

    1. Type of Information Collection: Revision of a previously 
approved collection.
    2. The Title of the Form/Collection: Equitable Sharing Agreement 
and Certification.
    3. The agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of 
the Department sponsoring the collection: There is not an agency form 
number. The collection instrument is the Equitable Sharing Agreement 
and Certification. The applicable component within the Department of 
Justice is the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (``MLARS''), 
in the Criminal Division.
    4. Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as the obligation to respond: Affected Public State, local and 
tribal law enforcement agencies and governing jurisdictions 
participating in the Program.
    5. An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of 
time estimated for an average respondent to respond: An estimated 6,000 
respondents will respond to this collection. The time per response is 
approximately .5 hours.
    6. An estimate of the total annual burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: The total annual burden hours for this collection 
is approximately 3,000 hours.
    7. An estimate of the total annual cost burden associated with the 
collection, if applicable:

                                               Total Burden Hours
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                                                                                     Time per
          Activity               Number of         Frequency       Total annual      response      Total annual
                                respondents                          responses        (hours)     burden (hours)
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Equitable Sharing Agreement            6,000  1/annually........           6,000              .5           3,000
 and Certification.
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    Unduplicated Totals.....           6,000  ..................           6,000  ..............           3,000
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    If additional information is required contact: Darwin Arceo, 
Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, 
Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two 
Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, 4W-218, Washington, DC.

    Dated: May 30, 2024.
Darwin Arceo,
Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.
[FR Doc. 2024-12250 Filed 6-4-24; 8:45 am]
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