2020-03601. Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed eCollection eComments Requested; Extension of a Currently Approved Collection

AGENCY:

Office on Violence Against Women, Department of Justice.

ACTION:

60-Day notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) 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 April 24, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Written comments and/or suggestion regarding the items contained in this notice, especially the estimated public burden and associated response time, should be directed to Cathy Poston, Office on Violence Against Women, at 202-514-5430 or [e-mail].

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:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information 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 of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(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 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.

Overview of This Information Collection

(1) Type of Information Collection: Extension of a currently approved collection.

(2) Title of the Form/Collection: STOP Formula Grant Program Match Documentation Worksheet.

(3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the Department of Justice sponsoring the collection: Form Number: 1122-0034. U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract: The affected public includes STOP formula grantees (50 states and the District of Columbia The STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program was authorized through the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and reauthorized and amended by the Violence Against Women Act of 2000, the Violence Against Women Act of 2005 and the Violence Against Women Act of 2013. The purpose of the STOP Formula Grant Program is to promote a coordinated, multi-disciplinary approach to improving the criminal justice system's response to violence against women. It envisions a partnership among law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and victim advocacy organizations to enhance victim safety and hold offenders accountable for their crimes of violence against women. The Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) administers the STOP Formula Grant Program funds which are awarded to states and territories to enhance the capacity of local communities to develop and strengthen effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services in cases involving violent crimes against women. Each state and territory must allocate 25 percent for law enforcement, 25 percent for prosecutors, 30 percent for victim services (of which at least 10 percent must be distributed to culturally specific community-based organizations), 5 percent to state and local courts, and 15 percent for discretionary distribution. VAWA provides for a 25 percent match requirement imposed on grant funds under the STOP Formula Grant Program. Thus, a grant made under this program may not cover more than 75 percent of the total costs of the project being funded. Under VAWA 2005, the state cannot require matching funds for a grant or subgrant for any tribe, territory, or victim service provider, regardless of funding allocation category. The state is exempted from matching the portion of the state award that goes to a victim service provider for victim services or that goes to tribes. Territories are also exempted in full. States can receive additional waiver of match based on a petition to OVW and a demonstration of financial need. OVW will look at the time of closeout at the entities and purposes of funds and base the required match on that.

The purpose of this new information collection is to provide a worksheet for documenting the amount of matching funds required at the closeout of a specific fiscal year award under the STOP Formula Grant Program. The type of questions on the worksheet will include award number, award amount, amount of funds sub-awarded to victim service providers for victim services or to tribes.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond/reply: It is estimated that it will take the approximately 51 respondents approximately ten minutes to complete a STOP Formula Grant Program match documentation worksheet.

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection: The total annual hour burden to complete the data collection forms is 8.5 hours, that is 51 STOP State Administrators completing an assessment tool one time with an estimated completion time being ten minutes.

If additional information is required contact: Melody Braswell, Deputy Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Justice Management Division, Policy and Planning Staff, Two Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE, 3E, 405B, Washington, DC 20530.

Dated: February 19, 2020.

Melody Braswell,

Department Clearance Officer, PRA, U.S. Department of Justice.