Notice2023-06384
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Qualification Information for Candidates to Advisory Committees
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 28, 2023
Issuing agencies
Civil Rights Commission
Abstract
The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights ("Commission" or "USCCR") is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of qualification information for advisory committee candidates by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act ("PRA"), Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, and to allow an additional 30 days for public comment.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 59 (Tuesday, March 28, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 59 (Tuesday, March 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18294-18295]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-06384]
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COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions,
and Approvals: Qualification Information for Candidates to Advisory
Committees
AGENCY: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (``Commission'' or
``USCCR'') is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the
proposed collection of qualification information for advisory committee
candidates by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA''),
Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register
concerning each proposed collection of information, and to allow an
additional 30 days for public comment.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before April 24, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments regarding
this proposal. Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a1eee8f3e0fed2d4c3ccc8d2d2c8cecfe1ceccc38fc4ced18fc6ced7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="91ded8c3d0cee2e4f3fcf8e2e2f8feffd1fefcf3bff4fee1bff6fee7">[email protected]</span></a> or <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. Find this particular information collection by selecting
``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using
the search function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sheryl Cozart, Senior Attorney-
Advisor, Office of the General Counsel, Office of the General Counsel,
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, 1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite
1150, Washington, DC 20425; phone: 202-839-7255; email:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c2b1a1a1adb8a3b0b682b7b1a1a1b0eca5adb4"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="601303030f1a0112142015130303124e070f16">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.,
Federal agencies must issue two notices seeking public comment on
information collection activities before OMB may approve paperwork
packages. On January 11, 2023, USCCR published a 60-day notice (88 FR
1557) in the Federal Register for public comment. USCCR received no
comments after issuing this 60-day notice. Accordingly, USCCR announces
that these information collection activities have been again evaluated
and certified under 5 CFR 1320.5(a) and forwarded to OMB for review and
approval pursuant to 5 CFR 1320.12(c). Before OMB decides whether to
approve these proposed collections of information, it must provide 30
days for public comment. 44 U.S.C. 3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). Federal
law requires OMB to approve or disapprove paperwork packages between 30
and 60 days after the 30-day notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507 (b)-
(c); 5 CFR 1320.12(d); see also 60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB
believes that the 30-day notice informs the regulated community to file
relevant comments and affords the agency adequate time to digest public
comments before it renders a decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
Therefore, respondents should submit their respective comments to OMB
within 30 days of publication to best ensure having their full effect.
5 CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
The summaries below describe the nature of the information
collection requirements (ICRs) and the expected burden. The
requirements are being submitted for clearance by OMB as required by
the PRA. This is a request for a new OMB control number.
Title: ``Qualification Information for Candidates to Advisory
Committees.''
Abstract: The Commission studies civil rights issues and
subsequently publishes reports with recommendations to inform the
President, Congress, and the public. The USCCR's Advisory Committees
were created to provide input and make recommendations to the
Commission concerning discrimination and denial of equal protection of
law, the right to vote, and related civil rights issues. The Commission
was established by the Civil Rights Act of 1957, Public Law 815-315,
and subsequently modified in the Civil Rights Commission Amendments Act
of 1994, 42 U.S.C. 1975a. These laws direct the Commission to establish
Advisory Committees for each state, the District of Columbia, and five
U.S. territories. These non-discretionary, statutory Advisory
Committees are subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA),
Public Law 92-463 codified as 5 U.S.C. app. 2.
As noted above, the 56 Advisory Committees advise the Commission on
civil rights issues that the Committees choose to evaluate. The
Commission may also ask Advisory Committees to take up a civil rights
topic in support of a Commission investigation. After a Committee's
report is submitted, the Commission may invite the Advisory Committee
Chair to discuss the report, including the findings and
recommendations, at regularly scheduled Commission business meetings.
The Commission may notify the U.S. Congressional delegation for the
particular locale that the advisory committee within their jurisdiction
has published a report. In addition, the Commission may distribute
Committee reports to the federal, state, and local bodies that are
identified in the Committee report. Lastly, individual Commissioners
often attend the Advisory Committee meetings, which are open to the
general public.
The USCCR identifies candidates for advisory committee membership
through a variety of methods, including, but not limited to, public
requests for nominations; recommendations from existing advisory
committee members; consultations with knowledgeable persons outside the
USSCR (academia, non-profits, other state or federal government
agencies, academia, etc.); and Commissioners' and USCCR staff's
professional knowledge of those experienced in civil rights. Following
the identification process and submission of applications, the USCCR
develops a list of proposed members with the relevant points of view
needed to ensure membership balance. The USCCR Commissioners then vote
to appoint individuals to serve four-year terms as Advisory Committee
Members. Advisory Committee Members are generally classified as
Representatives. Representatives provide the viewpoints of entities or
recognizable groups and are expected to potentially represent a
particular and known bias or perspective.
[[Page 18295]]
The collection of information is necessary to support the USCCR
Advisory Committees by placing qualified individuals on them as
members. Pursuant to the FACA, an agency must ensure that a committee
is balanced and diverse with respect to the viewpoints represented and
the functions to be performed by that committee. Consistent with this,
in order to select individuals for potential membership on an advisory
committee, the USCCR must determine that potential members are
qualified to serve on an advisory committee and that the viewpoints are
properly balanced on the committee.
USCCR staff would use the information collected in the applications
to determine that members come from the rich and diverse backgrounds of
all of the United States and its Territories that USCCR wishes to have
represented on its Advisory Committees, to determine the civil rights
experience and expertise of potential advisory committee members, and
to ensure that the membership on a committee is balanced.
The USCCR seeks to collect the following information in its
applications: Information that supports an individual's state or
territory residency requirements, civil rights experience and expertise
to serve on an advisory committee, including a letter discussing their
qualifications, resume or curriculum vitae, and/or other similar
biographical information documents such as name and address and social
media handles. Additionally, the USCCR seeks to collect information
that ensures membership balance (e.g., represented viewpoint category),
and that potential members broadly represent the demographics and/or
viewpoints of the United States and its Territories' varied and diverse
backgrounds including, but not limited to, education, occupation,
political affiliation and/or ideology, race/ethnicity, national origin,
gender, sexual orientation, disability status, age, religion, and
veteran status.
With respect to the collection of information, the USCCR invites
comments on:
<bullet> Whether the proposed collection of information is
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the
Commission, including whether the information will have a practical
use;
<bullet> The accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the burden of
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used;
<bullet> Ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of
the information to be collected; and
<bullet> Ways to minimize the burden of 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.
Burden Statement: The respondent burden for this collection is
estimated to be as follows for each vacant Advisory Committee:
Estimated Number of Respondents: 22.
Estimated Average Burden Hours per Respondent: 1 hour or less.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 22 hours or less per each
vacant Committee.
Frequency of Collection: Only as needed to fill vacancies, however
advisory committee members serve for four (4) years and once members,
would not be required to resubmit this information during the term of
their membership.
There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs
associated with this collection.
(Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)
Dated: March 23, 2023.
David Ganz,
General Counsel, USCCR.
[FR Doc. 2023-06384 Filed 3-27-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6335-01-P
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