Proposed Collection; Comment Request

RAILROAD RETIREMENT BOARD

Proposed Collection; Comment Request

SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 which provides opportunity for

public comment on new or revised data collections, the Railroad

Retirement Board (RRB) will publish periodic summaries of proposed data

collections.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed information

collection is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of

the agency, including whether the information has practical utility;

(b) the accuracy of the RRB's estimate of the burden of the collection

of the information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize

the burden related to the collection of information on respondents,

including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of

information technology.

Title and Purpose of information collection: Application for

Survivor Insurance Annuities: OMB 3220-0030 Under Section 2(d) of the

Railroad Retirement Act (RRA), monthly survivor annuities are payable

to surviving widow(er)s, parents, unmarried children, and in certain

cases, divorced wives (husbands), mothers (fathers), remarried

widow(er)s, and grandchildren of deceased railroad employees. The

collection obtains the information required by the RRB to determine

entitlement of the annuity applied for.

The RRB currently utilizes Form(s) AA-17 (Application for

Widow(ers) Annuity), AA-17b (Applications for Determination of

Widow(er) Disability), AA-18 (Application for Mother's/Father's and

Child's Annuity), AA-19 (Application for Child's Annuity), AA-19b

(Application for Determination of Child Disability), AA-19s

(Application for child's Annuity/Full-time Student), and AA-20

(Application for Parent's Annuity) to obtain the necessary information.

One response is requested of each respondent. Completion is required to

obtain benefits.

In order to implement a presumed Electronic Funds Transfer policy,

revisions to Forms AA-17, AA-18, AA-19, and AA-20 are being proposed

that request information about an applicant's financial institution.

Additional changes to Forms AA-17 and AA-20 are being proposed that

will expedite Medicare enrollment and reduce jurisdictional problems

with other agencies. Modifications proposed to Form AA-19 will allow

Form AA-19s to be eliminated. Assorted minor editorial and reformatting

changes are also being proposed to all of the forms.

Estimate of Annual Respondent Burden

The estimated annual respondent burden is as follows:

[[Page 9210]]

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Annual Burden

Form No. responses Time (min) (hrs.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

AA-17 (with assistance).......... 3,800 25 1,583

AA-17 (without assistance)....... 200 45 150

AA-17b (with assistance)......... 380 40 253

AA-17b (without assistance)...... 20 50 17

AA-18 (with assistance).......... 333 25 139

AA-18 (without assistance)....... 17 45 13

AA-19 (with assistance).......... 237 25 99

AA-19 (without assistance)....... 13 45 10

AA-19a (with assistance)......... 285 45 214

AA-19a (without assistance)...... 15 65 16

AA-20 (with assistance).......... 13 25 5

AA-20 (without assistance)....... 2 45 2

------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR COMMENTS: To request more information or to

obtain a copy of the information collection justification, forms, and/

or supporting material, please call the RRB Clearance Officer at (312)

751-3363. Comments regarding the information collection should be

addressed to Ronald J. Hodapp, Railroad Retirement Board, 844 N. Rush

Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092. Written comments should be

received within 60 days of this notice.

Chuck Mierzwa,

Clearance Officer.

[FR Doc. 96-5309 Filed 3-6-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 7905-01-M