2025-01532. Petition for Rulemaking of Central Office of Reform and Efficiency (Impersonation Rule)

Document Headings

Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following:

1. the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document
2. the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to
3. the agency docket number / agency internal file number
4. the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions

See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details.

Federal Trade Commission

1. 16 CFR Part 461
2. [File No. R507000]

AGENCY:

Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION:

Receipt of petition; request for comment.

SUMMARY:

Please take notice that the Federal Trade Commission (“Commission”) received a petition for rulemaking from the Central Office of Reform and Efficiency and has published that petition online at https://www.regulations.gov. This petition requests to clarify and remove vague terms for precise enforcement of the plan regulations and the inclusion of a scienter requirement to safeguard consumers and businesses. The Commission invites written comments concerning the petition. Publication of this petition is pursuant to the Commission's Rules of Practice and Procedure and does not affect the legal status of the petition or its final disposition.

DATES:

Comments must identify the petition docket number and be filed by February 28, 2025.

ADDRESSES:

You may view the petition, identified by docket number FTC-2025-0004, and submit written comments concerning its merits by using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit sensitive or confidential information. You may read background documents or comments received at https://www.regulations.gov at any time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Amy Bunk (phone: [phone], email: [e-mail]), Office of General Counsel, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This petition requests to amend 16 CFR 461 to clarify vague terms for precise enforcement of government and business impersonation regulations and to incorporate a scienter requirement.

Pursuant to section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. 57a(1)(B), and FTC Rule 1.31(f), 16 CFR 1.31(f), notice is hereby given that the above-captioned petition has been filed with the Secretary of the Commission and has been placed on the public record for a period of thirty (30) days. Any person may submit comments in support of or in opposition to the petition. All timely and responsive comments submitted in connection with this petition will become part of the public record.

The Commission will not consider the petition's merits until after the comment period closes. It may grant or deny the petition in whole or in part, and it may deem the petition insufficient to warrant commencement of a rulemaking proceeding. The purpose of this document is to facilitate public comment on the petition to aid the Commission in determining what, if any, action to take regarding the request contained in the petition. This document is not intended to start, stop, cancel, or otherwise affect rulemaking proceedings in any way.

Because your comment will be placed on the publicly accessible website at https://www.regulations.gov, you are solely responsible for making sure your comment does not include any sensitive or confidential information. In particular, your comment should not include any sensitive personal information, such as your or anyone else's Social Security number; date of birth; driver's license number or other state identification number, or foreign country equivalent; passport number; financial account number; or credit or debit card number. You are also solely responsible for making sure your comment does not include any sensitive health information, such as medical records or other individually identifiable health information. In addition, your comment should not include any “trade secret or any commercial or financial information which . . . is privileged or confidential”—as provided by Section 6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and FTC Rule 4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR 4.10(a)(2).

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 46; 15 U.S.C. 57a; 5 U.S.C. 601 note.

April J. Tabor,

Secretary.