Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION: Submission to OMB; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The FTC has submitted the information collection requirements

contained in 12 current rules to OMB for review and clearance under the

Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35. On August 26, 1996, the

FTC solicited comment concerning these information collection

requirements, providing the information specified in 5 CFR

1320.5(a)(iv). 61 FR 43764. No comments were received. The current OMB

clearances for these requirements expire on December 31, 1996. The FTC

has requested that OMB extend the paperwork clearances through December

31, 1999.

DATES: Comments must be filed by December 6, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to the Office of Information and Regulatory

Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office

Building, Room 3228, Washington, DC 20503, ATTN: Edward Clarke, Desk

Officer for the Federal Trade Commission, and to Elaine W. Crockett,

Staff Attorney, Office of the General Counsel, Federal Trade

Commission, Washington, DC 20580, (202)-326-2453.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or

copies of the proposed information requirements should be addressed to

Elaine W. Crockett at the address listed above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FTC has submitted requests for OMB

review

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of the following items. Further information concerning the entities

subject to, and the burden estimates for, these requirements can be

found at 61 FR 43764 (August 26, 1996). It should be noted that the

great majority of the disclosure requirements discussed below entail

burdens associated with statutorily required disclosure provisions. For

example, the Truth-in-Lending, Textile Act, and Fair Packaging

Regulations all involve large burden estimates, totaling approximately

69 million burden hours. Much of this burden reflects statutory

provisions that require the disclosure of such basic consumer

information as the annual percentage interest rate charged on loans,

the composition of clothing and other textile items, and the size and

content of packaged products. While the burden imposed on any

individual party is often quite small (sometimes measured in seconds),

the number of affected parties is often very high (sometimes measured

in millions), and the total burden is therefore large. See e.g., the

Regulations implementing the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the

Electronic Fund Transfer Act, and the Consumer Leasing Act.

The great majority of the recordkeeping and reporting provisions

discussed below entail burdens that are necessary for the enforcement

of the regulation and/or statute. In some instances, these

recordkeeping requirements are statutorily mandated. See, e.g. the

regulations implementing the Fur Products Labeling Act. In most

instances, the regulated entities keep these records in the normal

course of business, and thus these recordkeeping requirements do not

impose an additional ``burden'' on members of the public. See 5 CFR

1320.3(b)(2) (burden hours exclude effort that would be expended

regardless of any regulatory requirement).

1. Collection Title: The Games of Chance Rule, 16 CFR Part 419.

OMB Control Number: 3084-0067.

Description of the collection of information and proposed use: The

Rule establishes both recordkeeping and disclosure requirements

applicable to food and gasoline retailers that conduct and advertise

games of chance. The disclosure requirements assist consumers in

determining both the likelihood of winning prizes and the legitimacy of

covered games. The recordkeeping requirements assist in enforcement of

the Rule.

Estimate of information collection burden: 8,250 total burden

hours.

2. Title: Regulations promulgated under The Equal Credit

Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C. 1691 et seq. (``ECOA''), (``Regulation B'').

Control Number: 3084-0087.

Description of the collection of information and proposed use: The

ECOA prohibits discrimination in the extension of credit. Regulation B,

12 CFR 202, promulgated by the Board of Governors of the Federal

Reserve System, establishes both recordkeeping and disclosure

requirements to assist consumers in understanding their rights under

the ECOA and to assist in detecting unlawful discrimination.

Estimate of information collection burden: 14,400,000 total burden

hours.

3. Title: Regulations promulgated under The Electronic Fund

Transfer Act, 15 U.S.C. 1693 et seq. (``EFTA''), (``Regulation E'').

Control Number: 3084-0085.

Description of the collection of information and proposed use: The

EFTA requires accurate disclosure of the costs, terms and rights

relating to electronic fund transfer (EFT) services to consumers.

Regulation E, promulgated by the Board of Governors of the Federal

Reserve System, establishes both recordkeeping and disclosure

requirements applicable to entities providing EFT services to

consumers.

Estimate of information collection burden: 20,500,000 total burden

hours.

4. Title: Regulations promulgated under The Consumer Leasing Act,

15 U.S.C. 1667 et seq., (``CLA''), (``Regulation M'').

Control Number: 3084-0086.

Description of the collection of information and proposed use: The

CLA requires accurate disclosure of the costs and terms of leases to

consumers. Regulation M, promulgated by the Board of Governors of the

Federal Reserve System, establishes disclosure requirements that assist

consumers in understanding the terms of leases and recordkeeping

requirements that assist in enforcement of the Act.

Estimate of information collection burden: 533,400 total burden

hours.

5. Title: Regulations promulgated under The Truth-In-Lending Act,

15 U.S.C. 1601 et seq. (``TILA''), (``Regulation Z'').

Control Number: 3084-0088.

Description of collection of information and proposed use: The TILA

was enacted to foster comparison credit shopping and informed credit

decisionmaking by requiring accurate disclosure of the costs and terms

of credit to consumers. Regulation Z, promulgated by the Board of

Governors of the Federal Reserve System, establishes both recordkeeping

and disclosure requirements to assist consumers and to assist in the

enforcement of the TILA.

Estimate of Collection of information burden: 41,600,000 total

burden hours.

6. Title: Regulations under The Textile Fiber Products

Identification Act, 15 U.S.C. 70 et seq. (``Textile Act'').

Control Number: 3084-0047.

Description of the collection of information and proposed use: The

Textile Act prohibits misbranding and false advertising of textile

fiber products. The Textile Act Regulations, 16 CFR 303, establish

disclosure requirements that assist consumers in making informed

purchasing decisions, and recordkeeping requirements that assist the

Commission in enforcing the Regulations. The Regulations also contain a

petition procedure for requesting the establishment of generic names

for textile fibers.

Estimate of information collection burden: 15,500,000 total burden

hours.

7. Title: Regulations under the Wool Products Labeling Act, 5

U.S.C. 68 et seq. (``Wool Act'').

Control Number: 3084-0047.

Description of the collection of information and proposed use: The

Wool Act prohibits misbranding of wool products. The Wool Act

Regulations, 16 CFR 300, establish disclosure requirements that assist

consumers in making informed purchasing decisions and recordkeeping

requirements that assist the Commission in enforcing the Regulations.

Estimate of information collection burden: 2,291,000 total burden

hours.

8. Title: Regulations under the Fur Products Labeling Act, 15

U.S.C. 69 et seq. (``Fur Act'').

Control Number: 3084-0047.

Description of the collection of information and proposed use: The

Fur Act prohibits misbranding and false advertising of fur products.

The Fur Products Regulations, 16 CFR 301, establish disclosure

requirements that assist consumers in making informed purchasing

decisions and recordkeeping requirements that assist the Commission in

enforcing the Regulations. The Regulations also provide a procedure for

exemption from certain disclosure provisions under the Act.

Estimate of information collection burden: 137,600 total burden

hours.

9. Title: The ``900'' Number Rule, 16 CFR Part 308.

Control Number: 3084-0102.

Description of the collection of information and proposed use: As

mandated by the Telephone Disclosure and Dispute Resolution Act, 15

U.S.C. 5701-24, the 900 Number Rule establishes disclosure and

recordkeeping requirements for

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operators of pay-per-call services and common carriers who provide

telecommunication services to a provider of pay-per-call services.

Estimate of information collection burden: 3,241,200 total burden

hours.

10. Title: The Care Labeling Rule, 16 CFR Part 423.

Control Number: 3084-0103.

Description of collection of information and proposed use: To

assist consumers in making purchase decisions and in determining what

method to use to clean their apparel, the Care Labeling Rule requires

manufacturers and importers to attach a permanent care label to all

covered textile clothing. Also, manufacturers and importers of piece

goods used to make textile clothing must provide the same care

information on the end of each bolt or roll of fabric.

Estimate of information collection burden: 3,985,000 total burden

hours.

11. Title: Regulations under The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act,

15 U.S.C. 1450 (``FPLA'').

Control Number: 3084-0110.

Description of collection of information and proposed use: The FPLA

was enacted to eliminate consumer deception concerning product size

representations and package content information. The Regulations that

implement the FPLA, 16 CFR 500, establish requirements for the manner

and form of labeling applicable to manufacturers, packagers, and

distributors of consumer commodities. Section 4 of the FPLA

specifically requires packages or labels to be marked with: (1) a

statement of identity, (2) a net quantity of contents disclosure, and

(3) the name and place of business of a company that is responsible for

the product.

Estimate of information collection burden: 12,000,000 total burden

hours.

12. Title: The Fuel Rating Rule, 16 CFR Part 306.

Control Number: 3084-0068.

Description of collection of information and proposed use: The Fuel

Rating Rule establishes standard procedures for determining, certifying

and disclosing the octane rating of automotive gasoline and the

automotive fuel rating of alternative liquid automotive fuel, as

required by the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act, 15 U.S.C. 2822(a)-

(c). The Rule also requires refiners, producers, importers,

distributors and retailers to retain records of delivery tickets,

letters of certification or tests upon which automotive fuel ratings

are based.

Estimate of information collection burden: 43,000 total burden

hours.

Date received by the Federal Register: November 1, 1996.

Donald S. Clark,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 96-28523 Filed 11-5-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6750-01-P