[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 168 (Thursday, August 29, 2024)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 70119-70120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-18938]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 54

[WC Docket Nos. 22-238, 11-42, 21-450; FCC 23-96; FR ID 238679]


Supporting Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence, Lifeline 
and Link Up Reform Modernization

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; announcement of effective and compliance dates.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission 
(Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
has approved, for a period of three years, a revision to an information 
collection associated with the rules for the Lifeline and Link Up 
Reform and Modernization contained in the Commission's Order, FCC 23-96 
(Safe Connections Act Order). This document is consistent with the Safe 
Connections Act Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a 
document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of the 
new information collection requirements.

DATES: 
     Effective date: This final rule is effective August 29, 2024.
    Compliance date: Compliance with Sec. Sec.  54.403(a)(4), 
54.405(e)(6), 54.409(a)(3), 54.410(d)(2)(ii), 54.410(i), 54.424(a) and 
(b), and 54.1800(j)(1) is required by August 29, 2024.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nicholas Page, Telecommunications 
Access Policy Division, Wireline Competition Bureau, (202) 418-7400 or 
TTY: (202) 418-0484. For additional information concerning the 
Paperwork Reduction Act information collection requirements contact 
Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991 or via email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission submitted new information 
collection requirements for review and approval by OMB, as required by 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, on June 10, 2024, which were 
approved by the OMB on August 7, 2024. The information collection 
requirements are contained in the Commission's Safe Connections Act 
Order (FCC 23-96, rel. Nov. 16, 2023), published at 88 FR 84406, on 
December 5, 2023. The OMB Control Number is 3060-0819. The Commission 
publishes this document as an announcement of the effective date of the 
rules that required PRA approval. If you have any comments on the 
burden estimates listed, 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, regarding OMB Control Number 3060-0819. Please 
include the OMB Control Number, 3060-0819, 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), or (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 August 7, 2024, for the information collection requirements 
contained in 47 CFR 54.403, 54.405, 54.409, 54.410, 54.424, and 
54.1800, which revises Sec. Sec.  54.403(a)(5), 54.405(e)(7), 
54.409(a)(4), 54.410(j), 54.424(c), and 54.1800(j)(7).
    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 3060-0819.
    The foregoing notification 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: 3060-0819.
    OMB Approval Date: August 7, 2024.
    OMB Expiration Date: August 31, 2027.
    Title: Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Consumers, 
Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization, Telecommunications 
Eligible for Universal Service Support.
    Form No.: FCC Form 481, 497, 555, 5629, 5630, and 5631.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Respondents: Individuals or Households; Business or other for-
profit entities.
    Number of Respondents and Responses: 25,110,068 respondents; 
26,877,412 responses.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.0167-125 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual, biennial, monthly, daily and on 
occasion reporting requirements, recordkeeping requirement and third-
party disclosure requirement.
    Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits. 
Statutory authority is contained in sections 1, 4(i), 5, 201, 205, 214, 
219, 220, 254, 303(r), and 403 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, and section 706 of the Communications Act of 1996, as amended; 
47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 155, 201, 205, 214, 219, 220, 254, 303(r), 403, 
and 1302.
    Total Annual Burden: 6,534,382 hours.
    Total Annual Cost: $937,500.
    Needs and Uses: The Commission provides updates to the existing FCC 
Form 5629 to implement the Safe Connections Act Order, FCC 23-96, to 
include information for survivors suffering financial hardship about 
how they can qualify to receive emergency communications support from 
the Lifeline program. The revisions also allow survivors to document or 
self-certify their financial hardship status and include a new question 
on survivor communication preferences. Additionally, the Commission 
adds a new requirement for Eligible Telecommunications Carriers (ETCs) 
seeking to relinquish their ETC designation.
    The revisions to this collection reflect the notice and reporting 
requirements adopted by the Commission in the SCA Order.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 54

    Communications, Communications common carriers, Privacy, 
Telecommunications, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.

Final Rules

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission amends 47 CFR part 54 to read as follows:

[[Page 70120]]

PART 54--UNIVERSAL SERVICE

0
1. The authority citation for part 54 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 155, 201, 205, 214, 219, 220, 
229, 254, 303(r), 403, 1004, 1302, 1601-1609, and 1752, unless 
otherwise noted.


Sec.  54.403  [Amended]

0
2. Amend Sec.  54.403 by removing paragraph (a)(5).


Sec.  54.405  [Amended]

0
3. Amend Sec.  54.405 by removing paragraph (e)(7);


Sec.  54.409  [Amended]

0
4. Amend Sec.  54.409 by removing paragraph (a)(4).


Sec.  54.410  [Amended]

0
5. Amend Sec.  54.410 by removing paragraph (j).


Sec.  54.424  [Amended]

0
6. Amend Sec.  54.424 by removing paragraph (c).


Sec.  54.1800  [Amended]

0
7. Amend Sec.  54.1800 by removing paragraph (j)(7).

[FR Doc. 2024-18938 Filed 8-28-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P