E9-15011. Criminal Justice Information Services Division; National Instant Criminal Background Check System Section; Agency Information Collection Activities: Existing Collection, Comments Requested

ACTION:

60-Day Notice of Information Collection Under Review: Approval of an existing collection; Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Enrollment/National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Electronic Check (E-Check) Enrollment Form; Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Officer/Employee Acknowledgment of Responsibilities Under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Form.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division, National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Section 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. The proposed information collection is published to obtain comments from the public and affected agencies. Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until August 24, 2009. This process is conducted in accordance with Title 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 1320.10.

If you have comments, especially on the estimated public burden or associated response time, suggestions, or need a copy of the proposed information collection instrument with instructions or additional information, please contact Natalie N. Snider, Management and Program Analyst, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division, NICS Section, Module A-3, 1000 Custer Hollow Road, Clarksburg, West Virginia 26306, or facsimile at [phone].

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/component, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's/component's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of the 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 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

(1) Type of Information Collection: Approval of an Existing Collection.

(2) Title of the Form:

Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Enrollment/National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Electronic Check (E-Check) Enrollment Form. Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Officer/Employee Acknowledgment of Responsibilities Under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Form.

(3) Agency Form Number, if any, and the applicable component of the department sponsoring the collection:

Form Number: 1110-0026.

Sponsor: Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Justice (DOJ).

(4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as well as a brief abstract:

Primary: Any Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) or State Point-of-Contact (POC) requesting access to conduct National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Checks telephonically or by the Internet through the NICS Electronic Check (E-Check).

Brief Abstract: The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 required the United States Attorney General to establish a national instant criminal background check system that any Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) may contact, by telephone or by other electronic means, for information to be supplied immediately, on whether receipt of a firearm by a prospective purchaser would violate state or federal law. Information pertaining to licensees who may contact the NICS is being collected to manage and control access to the NICS and to the NICS E-Check, to ensure appropriate resources are available to support the NICS, and also to ensure the privacy and security of NICS information.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond:

It is estimated that 500 Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) enroll with the NICS per month for a total of 6,000 enrollments per year. The average response time for reading the directions for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Enrollment/NICS Electronic Check (E-Check) Enrollment Form is estimated to be two minutes; time to complete the form is estimated to be three minutes; and the time it takes to assemble, mail, or fax the form to the FBI is estimated to be three minutes, for a total of eight minutes. The average hour burden for this specific form is 6,000 × 8 minutes/60 = 800 hours.

The Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Officer/Employee Acknowledgment of Responsibilities Form Under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) takes approximately three minutes to read the responsibilities and two minutes to complete the form, for a total of five minutes. The average hour burden for this specific form is 6,000 × 5 minutes/60 = 500 hours.

The accompanying letter mailed with the packet takes an additional two minutes to read which would be 6,000 × 2 minutes/60 = 200 hours.

The entire process of reading the letter and completing both forms would take 15 minutes per respondent. The average hour burden for completing both forms and reading the accompanying letter would be 6,000 × 15/60 = 1,500 hours.

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection:

The entire process of reading the letter and completing both forms would take 15 minutes per respondent. The average hour burden for completing both forms and reading the accompanying letter would be 6,000 × 15/60 = 1,500 hours.

If additional information is required, contact: Ms. Lynn Bryant, Department Clearance Officer, United States Department of Justice, Information Management and Security Staff, Justice Management Division, Suite 1600, Patrick Henry Building, 601 D Street, NW., Washington, DC 20530.

Dated: June 18, 2009.

Lynn Bryant,

Department Clearance Officer, PRA, United States Department of Justice.