[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 164 (Friday, August 23, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68183-68185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-19001]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Transportation Security Administration


Revision of Agency Information Collection Activity Under OMB 
Review: TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program

AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration, DHS.

ACTION: 30-Day notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Transportation Security 
Administration (TSA) has forwarded the Information Collection Request 
(ICR), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number 1652-0059, 
abstracted below to OMB for review and approval of a revision of the 
currently approved collection under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). 
The ICR describes the nature of the information collection and its 
expected burden. The collection involves the submission of biographic 
and biometric information by individuals seeking to enroll in the TSA 
PreCheck[supreg] (also known as TSA Pre[check][supreg]) Application 
Program, as well as optional surveys related to customer service and 
enrollment processes.

DATES: Send your comments by September 23, 2024. A comment to OMB is 
most effective 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 Review--Open for 
Public Comments'' and by using the find function.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christina A. Walsh, TSA PRA Officer, 
Information Technology (IT), TSA-11, Transportation Security 
Administration, 6595 Springfield Center Drive, VA 22150; telephone 
(571) 227-2062; email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: TSA published a Federal Register notice, 
with a 60-day comment period soliciting comments, of the following 
collection of information on February 22, 2024, 89 FR 13356.

Comments Invited

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
3501 et seq.), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is 
not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it 
displays a valid OMB control number. The ICR documentation will be 
available at https://www.reginfo.gov upon its submission to OMB. 
Therefore, in preparation for OMB review and approval of the following 
information collection, TSA is soliciting comments to:
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed information requirement is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including using appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.

[[Page 68184]]

Information Collection Requirement

    Title: TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program, 49 U.S.C. 114.
    Type of Request: Revision of a previously approved collection.
    OMB Control Number: 1652-0059.
    Forms(s): N/A.
    Affected Public: Individuals.
    Abstract: Pursuant to the statutory authorities explained below, 
TSA has implemented a voluntary enrollment program for individuals to 
apply for the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program. Section 
109(a)(3) of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act, Public Law 
107-71 (115 Stat. 597, 613, Nov. 19, 2001, codified at 49 U.S.C. 114 
note) provides TSA with the authority to ``establish requirements to 
implement trusted programs and use available technologies to expedite 
security screening of passengers who participate in such programs, 
thereby allowing security screening personnel to focus on those 
passengers who should be subject to more extensive screening.'' In 
addition, TSA has express, statutory authority to establish and collect 
a fee for any registered traveler program by publication of a notice in 
the Federal Register, as outlined in the Department of Homeland 
Security Appropriations Act, 2006, Public Law 109-90 (119 Stat. 2064, 
2088-89, Oct. 18, 2005).
    Although participation in the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application 
Program is voluntary, individuals must submit biographic, biometric,\1\ 
and biometric information directly to TSA, which TSA uses to conduct 
identity verification and a Security Threat Assessment (STA) of 
criminal, immigration, intelligence, and regulatory violation 
databases. Interested applicants must provide certain minimum required 
data elements, including, but not limited to, name, date of birth, 
gender, address, contact information, country of birth, images of 
identity documents, proof of citizenship or immigration status, and 
biometrics via a secure interface. TSA uses this information to verify 
identity at enrollment, conduct an STA, make a final eligibility 
determination for the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program, and 
verify the identities of TSA PreCheck[supreg]-enrolled and approved 
individuals when they are traveling.
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    \1\ Unless otherwise specified, for the purpose of this 
document, ``biometrics'' refers to fingerprints and/or facial 
imagery.
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    As part of this process, TSA sends the applicants' fingerprints and 
associated information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for 
the purpose of comparing their fingerprints to other fingerprints in 
the FBI's Next Generation Identification (NGI) system or its successor 
systems including civil, criminal, and latent fingerprint repositories. 
The FBI may retain applicants' fingerprints and associated information 
in NGI after the completion of their application and, while retained, 
their fingerprints may continue to be compared against other 
fingerprints submitted to or retained by NGI as part of the FBI's Rap 
Back program.\2\ In retaining applicants' fingerprints, the FBI 
conducts recurrent vetting of applicants' criminal history until the 
expiration date of the applicant's STA. TSA also transmits applicants' 
biometrics for enrollment into the Department of Homeland Security 
Automated Biometrics Identification System and its successor systems 
for recurrent vetting of applicants' criminal history, lawful presence, 
and ties to terrorism and for future support of TSA's biometric-based 
identification at airport checkpoints.
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    \2\ The FBI's Rap Back service allows authorized agencies to 
receive on-going status notifications of any criminal history 
reported to the FBI after the initial processing and retention of 
criminal or civil transactions using fingerprint identification.
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    TSA uses the STA results to decide if an individual poses a low 
risk to transportation or national security. TSA issues approved 
applicants a known traveler number (KTN) that they may use when making 
travel reservations. Airline passengers who submit a KTN when making 
airline reservations are eligible for expedited screening on flights 
originating from U.S. airports and select international locations 
including Nassau, Bahamas.\3\ TSA uses the traveler's KTN and other 
information during passenger prescreening to verify that the individual 
traveling matches the information on TSA's list of known travelers and 
to confirm TSA PreCheck[supreg] expedited screening eligibility.
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    \3\ Passengers who are eligible for expedited screening 
typically will receive more limited physical screening; e.g., will 
be able to leave on their shoes, light outerwear, and belt; to keep 
their laptop in its case; and to keep their ``3-1-1'' compliant 
liquids/gels bag in a carry-on.
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    When the STA is complete, TSA makes a final determination on 
eligibility for the TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program and 
notifies applicants of its decision. Most applicants generally should 
expect to receive notification from TSA within three to five days and 
up to 60 days from the submission of their completed applications. If 
initially deemed ineligible by TSA, applicants will have an opportunity 
to correct cases of misidentification or inaccurate criminal records. 
Applicants must submit a correction of any information they believe to 
be inaccurate within 60 days of issuance of TSA's letter. If a 
corrected record is not received by TSA within the specified amount of 
time, the agency may make a final determination to deny eligibility. 
Individuals who TSA determines are ineligible for the TSA 
PreCheck[supreg] Application Program will undergo standard or other 
screening at airport security checkpoints.
    The TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program enhances aviation 
security by permitting TSA to better focus its limited security 
resources on passengers who are unknown to TSA and whose level of risk 
is undetermined, while also facilitating and improving the commercial 
aviation travel experience for the public. Travelers who choose not to 
enroll in this initiative are not subject to any limitations on their 
travel because of their choice; they will be processed through normal 
TSA screening before entering the sterile areas of airports. TSA also 
retains the authority to perform standard or other screening on a 
random basis on TSA PreCheck[supreg] Application Program participants 
and any other travelers authorized to receive expedited physical 
screening.

TSA PreCheck[supreg] Enrollment and Renewal Enhancements

    The introduction of additional enrollment providers, as discussed 
in the previous ICR revision, allows enrollment providers to offer 
multiple price points for TSA PreCheck[supreg] enrollment and renewal 
as well as additional enrollment locations, which will allow the public 
to select the best option for their needs. TSA plans to explore new 
enrollment capabilities to include remote proctored enrollment \4\ to 
further expand TSA's ability to service the public. This revision also 
addresses TSA's plan to accept Mobile Drivers Licenses and other TSA 
approved Digital Identities for identity verification at enrollment 
upon TSA approval. Lastly, TSA intends to continue to collect 
information from TSA PreCheck[supreg] members after enrollment through 
voluntary customer experience surveys to better serve the public.
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    \4\ Remote Proctored Enrollment refers to enrollments conducted 
in-person by the applicant and monitored remotely by a trusted agent 
via real-time video stream. The remote trusted agent maintains the 
integrity of the enrollment by monitoring the entire process from 
start-to-finish including the collection of identity documents and 
the traditional capture of contact fingerprints.
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    Average Annual Number of Respondents: An estimated 6,005,854 
average annual respondents. This estimate is based on current and 
projected enrollments with TSA's existing program.

[[Page 68185]]

    Average Annual Number of Responses: An estimated 8,384,125 average 
annual responses. There could be multiple responses per respondent 
depending on the requested information.
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: An estimated 4,069,167 average 
annual hours. This estimate includes time to fill out the enrollment or 
renewal application, round trip travel time to an enrollment center (as 
needed), providing biographic and biometric information to TSA (via an 
enrollment center or pre-enrollment options), the time burden for any 
records correction for the applicant, and time for surveys.
    Estimated Annual Cost Burden: An estimated $461,115,379 annual 
average cost burden. The applicant fee per respondent for those who 
apply for the program directly with TSA will average $80 for initial 
enrollments, $70 for online renewals, and $75 for in-person renewals, 
which covers TSA's program costs, TSA's enrollment vendor's costs, and 
the FBI fee for the criminal history records check.

    Dated: August 20, 2024.
Christina A. Walsh,
TSA Paperwork Reduction Act Officer, Information Technology.
[FR Doc. 2024-19001 Filed 8-22-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P