Notice2026-19919
Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to Office of Management and Budget
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
September 29, 2026
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it can further reduce the information collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 187 (Tuesday, September 29, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 187 (Tuesday, September 29, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 61404-61405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-19919]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[OMB 3060-1314; FR ID 369594]
Information Collection Being Submitted for Review and Approval to
Office of Management and Budget
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens,
as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC or the Commission) invites the general
public and other Federal Agencies to take this opportunity to comment
on the following information collection. Pursuant to the Small Business
Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, the FCC seeks specific comment on how it
can further reduce the information collection burden for small business
concerns with fewer than 25 employees.
DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be submitted on or before October 29,
2026.
ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to <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. Your comment must be submitted into
<a href="http://www.reginfo.gov">www.reginfo.gov</a> per the above instructions for it to be considered. In
addition to submitting in <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov">www.reginfo.gov</a> also send a copy of your
comment on the proposed information collection to Nicole Ongele, FCC,
via email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b6e6e4f7f6d0d5d598d1d9c0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1f4f4d5e5f797c7c31787069">[email protected]</span></a> and to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d19fb8b2bebdb4ff9ebfb6b4bdb491b7b2b2ffb6bea7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b8f6d1dbd7d4dd96f7d6dfddd4ddf8dedbdb96dfd7ce">[email protected]</span></a>. Include in the
comments the OMB control number as shown in the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies
of the information collection, contact Nicole Ongele at (202) 418-2991.
To view a copy of this information collection request (ICR) submitted
to OMB: (1) go to the web page <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>, (2) look for the section of the web page called ``Currently
Under Review,'' (3) click on the downward-pointing arrow in the
``Select Agency'' box below the ``Currently Under Review'' heading, (4)
select ``Federal Communications Commission'' from the list of agencies
presented in the ``Select Agency'' box, (5) click the ``Submit'' button
to the right of the ``Select Agency'' box, (6) when the list of FCC
ICRs currently under review appears, look for the Title of this ICR and
then click on the ICR Reference Number. A copy of the FCC submission to
OMB will be displayed.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission may not conduct or sponsor a
collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. No person shall be
subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of
information subject to the PRA that does not display a valid OMB
control number.
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, as
required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-
3520), the FCC invited the general public and other Federal Agencies to
take this opportunity to comment on the following information
collection. 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 estimates; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information collected; and (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
[[Page 61405]]
information technology. Pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief
Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4), the FCC
seeks specific comment on how it might ``further reduce the information
collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25
employees.''
OMB Control Number: 3060-1314.
Title: Incarcerated People's Communications Services (IPCS) 2026
Mandatory Data Collection, WC Docket Nos. 23-62, 12-375, FCC 25-75.
Form Number(s): FCC Form 2303(a) and FCC Form 2303(b).
Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Respondents: Business or other for-profit.
Number of Respondents and Responses: 30 respondents; 30 responses.
Estimated Time per Response: 165 hours.
Frequency of Response: One-time reporting requirement.
Obligation to Respond: Required to obtain or retain benefits.
Statutory authority for this collection of information is contained in
sections 1, 2, 4(i)-(j), 5(c), 201(b), 218, 220, 225, 255, 276, 403,
and 716 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 151,
152, 154(i)-(j), 155(c), 201(b), 218, 220, 225, 255, 276, 403, and 617,
and the Martha Wright-Reed Act, Public Law 117-338, 136 Stat. 6156
(2022).
Total Annual Burden: 4,950 hours.
Total Annual Cost: No cost.
Needs and Uses: On November 6, 2025, the Commission released the
Incarcerated People's Communications Services; Implementation of the
Martha Wright-Reed Act; Rates for Interstate Inmate Calling Services,
WC Docket Nos. 23-62, 12-375, Report and Order, Order on
Reconsideration, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order, FCC 25-75, 90
FR 56013 (Dec. 5, 2025) (Order) and 90 FR 56115 (Dec. 5, 2025) (Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking or Notice), in which it established a regulatory
framework that is faithful to the Martha Wright-Reed Just and
Reasonable Communications Act of 2022, Public Law 117-338, 136 Stat.
6156 (the Martha Wright-Reed Act or Act) and is also consistent with
the record that has developed since its enactment. The Order created a
durable, predictable, and lawful framework that properly balances the
Commission's implementation of the dual statutory mandates of the
Martha Wright-Reed Act--just and reasonable rates for consumers and
fair compensation for providers--and thereby ensures the continued
availability of IPCS to incarcerated people and preserves correctional
officials' ability to provide safe and secure access to IPCS.
To ensure that it has the data needed to meet its responsibilities
under the Act, the Commission reaffirmed its prior delegation of
authority to the Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) and the Office of
Economics and Analytics (OEA) to conduct an additional data collection
to enable the Commission to set permanent rate caps for both audio and
video IPCS. In the Order, the Commission reiterated its delegation of
authority to WCB and OEA to ``make any appropriate modifications to the
structure of the collection and the template and instructions for the
collection necessary to provide the Commission an objective basis to
establish permanent IPCS rate caps.''
Pursuant to their delegated authority, WCB and OEA drafted proposed
instructions, a spreadsheet template, a word document template, and a
certification form for the proposed 2026 Mandatory Data Collection,
which collectively reduced significantly the burden of the data
collection, available for download at <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/2026%20IPCS%20MDC%20proposed%20Instructions.docx">https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/2026%20IPCS%20MDC%20proposed%20Instructions.docx</a>. IPCS
providers would be required to submit the required data using a
reporting template that would be filed through the Commission's
Electronic Comment Filing System. The proposed template would consist
of a Word document (Appendix A to the instructions) for responses
requiring narrative information, and Excel spreadsheets (Appendix B to
the instructions) for responses that require specific numbers or
information. IPCS providers would also be required to submit an audited
financial statement or report for calendar year 2025, and a signed
certification of truthfulness, accuracy, and completeness (Appendix C
to the instructions). The instructions, templates, and certification
form would simplify compliance with, and reduce the burden of, this
data collection. These proposed documents will be submitted to the
Office of Management and Budget as FCC Form 2303(a) and FCC Form
2303(b).
On June 8, 2026, WCB and OEA released a Public Notice seeking
comment on all aspects of the proposed instructions, templates, and
certification form, available for download at <a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-567A1.pdf">https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-567A1.pdf</a>. A summary of the June 8, 2026
Public Notice was published in the Federal Register on June 17, 2026
(91 FR 36552). On June 25, 2026, notice of a request for written PRA
comments regarding the proposed instructions, templates, and
certification form was published in the Federal Register (91 FR 38435).
In response to the June 8, 2026 Public Notice, WCB and OEA received
comments and reply comments from IPCS providers, public interest
advocates, and other interested parties. WCB and OEA thoroughly
considered these filings in adopting the requirements of the final 2026
Mandatory Data Collection. The 2026 Mandatory Data Collection Order was
released on September 21, 2026. This document is available for download
at <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/document/2026-ipcs-mandatory-data-collection-order">https://www.fcc.gov/document/2026-ipcs-mandatory-data-collection-order</a>.
Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary, Office of the Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-19919 Filed 9-28-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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