2012-2013. Information Collection Being Reviewed by the Federal Communications Commission

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burden and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), the Federal Communications Commission invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection(s). Comments are requested concerning: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimate; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) ways to further reduce the information burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.

The FCC may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a currently 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 (PRA) that does not display a valid OMB control number.

DATES:

Written Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) comments should be submitted on or before April 2, 2012. If you anticipate that you will be submitting PRA comments, but find it difficult to do so within the period of time allowed by this notice, you should advise the FCC contact listed below as soon as possible.

ADDRESSES:

Submit your PRA comments to Judith B.Herman, Federal Communications Commission, via the Internet at [e-mail]. To submit your PRA comments by email send them to: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Judith B. Herman, Office of Managing Director, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

OMB Control Number: 3060-1122.

Title: Preparation of Annual Reports to Congress for the Collection and Expenditures of Fees or Charges for Enhanced 911 (E911) Services Under the NET 911 Improvement Act of 2008.

Form Number: N/A.

Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Respondents: State, local or tribal governments.

Number of Respondents: 56 respondents; 56 responses.

Estimated Time per Response: 50 hours.

Frequency of Response: Annual reporting requirement and recordkeeping requirement.

Obligation to Respond: Voluntary. Statutory authority for this information collection is contained in 47 U.S.C. Sections 201(b), 219(b) and 220 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

Total Annual Burden: 2,800 hours.

Total Annual Cost: N/A.

Privacy Impact Assessment: N/A.

Nature and Extent of Confidentiality: There were no assurances of confidentiality provided to respondents. The Commission's rules address the issue of confidentiality at 47 CFR sections 0.457, 0.459, and 0.461. These rules address access to records that are not routinely available to the public, requests and requirements that materials submitted to the Commission be withheld from public inspection, and requests for inspection of materials not routinely available for public inspection.

Needs and Uses: The Commission is seeking OMB approval for a revision of this information collection in order to obtain the full three year approval from them. There is no change in the Commission's previous burden estimates.

The Commission proposes to ask the following questions:

1. A statement as to whether or not your State, or any political subdivision, Indian tribe, village or regional corporation therein as defined by Section 6(f)(1) of the NET 911 Act, has established a funding mechanism designated for or imposed for the purposes of 911 or E911 support or implementation (including a citation to the legal authority for such mechanism).

2. The amount of the fees or charges imposed for the implementation and support of 911 or E911 services, and the total amount collected pursuant to the assessed fees or charges, for the annual period ending December 31, 20XX.

3. A statement describing how the funds collected are made available to localities, and whether your state has established written criteria regarding the allowable uses of the collected funds, including the legal citation to such criteria.

4. A statement identifying any entity in your State that has the authority to approve the expenditure of funds collected for 911 or E911 purposes; a description of any oversight procedures established to determine that collected funds have been made available or used for the purposes designated by the funding mechanism or otherwise used to implement or support 911; and a statement describing enforcement or other corrective actions undertaken in connection with such oversight, for the annual period ending December 31, 20XX.

5. A statement whether all the funds collected for 911 or E911 purposes have been made available or used for the purposes designated by the funding mechanism, or otherwise used for the implementation or support of 911 or E911.

6. A statement identifying what amount of funds collected for 911 or E911 purposes were made available or used for any purposes other than the ones designated by the funding mechanism or used for purposes otherwise unrelated to 911 or E911 implementation or support, including a statement identifying the unrelated purposes for which the funds collected for 911 or E911 purposes were made available or used.

7. A statement identifying which specificity all activities, programs, and organizations for whose benefit your State, or political subdivision thereof, has obligated or expended funds collected for 911 or E911 purposes and how these activities, programs, and organizations support 911 or E911 services or enhancements of such services.

8. A statement regarding whether your State classifies expenditures on Next Generation 911 as within the scope of permissible expenditures of funds for 911 or E911 purposes, whether your State has expended such funds on Next Generation 911 programs, and if so, how much your State has expended in the annual period ending December 31, 20XX on Next Generation 911 programs.

9. Any other comments you may wish to provide regarding the applicable funding mechanism for 911 or E911.

The purpose of this information collection is to meet the Commission's ongoing statutory obligations under the New and Emerging Technologies 911 Improvement Act of 2008, Public Law 110-283, 122 Stat. 2620 (2008) (NET 911 Act), which requires the Commission to submit an annual report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives, “detailing the status in each State of the collection and distribution of such fees or charges, and including findings on the amount of revenues obligated or expended by each State or political subdivision thereof for any purposes other than the purpose for which any such fees or charges are specified.”

Federal Communications Commission.

Marlene H. Dortch,

Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Office of Managing Director.