Extension of Time for Comments Concerning Trade Regulation Rule on Funeral Industry Practices

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

16 CFR Part 453

Extension of Time for Comments Concerning Trade Regulation Rule

on Funeral Industry Practices

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period.

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

SUMMARY: The Federal Trade Commission (``the Commission'' or ``FTC'')

has extended the date by which comments must be submitted concerning

the review of its Trade Regulation Rule on Funeral Industry Practices

(``Funeral Rule''). This document informs prospective comments of the

change and sets a new date of August 11, 1999, for the end of the

comment period.

DATES: Written comments will be accepted until the close of business on

August 11, 1999. Notification of interest in participating in the

public workshop must be submitted separately on or before August 11,

1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified as ``16 CFR part 453''

and submitted to: Secretary, Federal Trade Commission, Room H-159, 600

Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20580. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION for future details.

All comments will be placed on the public record and will be

available for public inspection in accordance with the Freedom of

Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552, and the Commission's Rules of Practice,

16 CFR 4.11, during normal business days from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., at

the Public Reference Room, Room 130, Federal Trade Commission, 600

Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, DC 20580. In addition, comments

will be posted ont he Internet at the FTC's web site: ``www.ftc.gov.''

Notification on interest in participating in the Public Workshop-

Conference should be submitted in writing on or before August 11, 1999,

to Myra Howard, Division of Marketing Practices, Federal Trade

Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20580.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Myra Howard, (202) 326-2047, or

Mercedes Kelley, (202) 326-3665, Division of Marketing Practices,

Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC

20580.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 5, 1999, the Commission published in

the Federal Register a Request for Comment on its Funeral Industry

Practices Rule (``Funeral Rule'' or ``Rule''), 16 CFR part 453, as part

of its regulatory review program. 64 FR 24250. The Funeral Rule details

a number of unfair and deceptive practices relating to providers of

funeral goods and services, and sets forth preventive requirements in

the form of price and information disclosures to ensure the funeral

providers avoid engaging in the enumerated unfair or deceptive acts or

practices. The Federal Register notice (``notice'') posed thirty

questions in all; some were general regulatory review questions, while

others asked about material issues that are specific to the Funeral

Rule and the funeral industry. The notice requested commenters to

provide answers where possible, and specifically asked for data,

surveys and empirical evidence to support comments submitted to the

Commission. Pursuant to the Federal Register notice, the comment period

currently ends on July 12, 1999.

Between June 11, 1999, and June 16, 1999, staff have received

requests for a modest extension of the comment period from four

separate organizations representing a variety of viewpoints on the

Rule--the National Funeral Directors Association (``NFDA''), the

American Association of Retired Persons (``AARP''), the Funeral and

Memorial Societies of America, Inc. (``FAMSA''), and the Monument

Builders of North America (``MBNA''). The parties indicated that

additional time was required to prepare thorough, thoughtful responses

to the questions contained in the Federal Register notice.

The Commission is mindful of the need to deal with this matter as

expeditiously as possible. However, the Commission is also aware that

some of the issues raised by the Federal Register notice are rather

complex, and it welcomes as much substantive input as possible to

facilitate its decisionmaking process. Accordingly, in order to provide

sufficient time for these and other interested parties to prepare

useful comments, the Commission has decided to extend the deadline for

comments by thirty (30) days, until August 11, 1999.

Additional Comment Information

The Commission requests that commenters submit the original plus

five copies, if feasible. To enable prompt review and public access,

all written comments should also be submitted, if possible, in

electronic form. To submit

[[Page 35966]]

in electronic form, provide the comment on either a 5\1/4\'' or a 3\1/

2\'' computer disk. The disk should be labeled with the commenter's

name and the name and version of the word processing program used to

create the document. (Programs based on DOS or Windows are preferred.

Files from other operating systems should be submitted in ASCII text

format). Alternatively, the Commission will also accept comments

submitted to the following E-Mail address: ``[email protected]''

Individual members of the public who will be filing comments need not

submit multiple copies and need not submit their comments in electronic

form.

List of Subjects in 16 CFR Part 453

Funerals, Trade practices.

By direction of the Commission.

Benjamin I. Berman,

Acting Secretary.

[FR Doc. 99-16767 Filed 7-1-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6750-01-M