Agency information collection activities: Submission for OMB review; comment request,

[Federal Register: February 22, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 34)]

[Notices]

[Page 8551-8552]

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

[DOCID:fr22fe99-38]

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

AGENCY: Department of Education.

SUMMARY: The Acting Leader, Information Management Group, Office of the Chief Information Officer invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before March 24, 1999.

[[Page 8552]]

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Danny Werfel, Desk Officer, Department of Education, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, N.W., Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20503 or should be electronically mailed to the internet address DWERFEL@OMB.EOP.GOV. Requests for copies of the proposed information collection requests should be addressed to Patrick J. Sherrill, Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Room 5624, Regional Office Building 3, Washington, D.C. 20202-4651, or should be electronically mailed to the Internet address Pat__Sherrill@ed.gov, or should be faxed to 202-708-9346.

In addition, interested persons can access this document on the Internet:

(1) Go to IFAP at http://ifap.ed.gov (2) Click on the ``Bookshelf'' icon (3) Scroll down and click on ``FAFSA and Renewal FAFSA Forms and Instructions'' (4) Click on ``By 2000-2001 Award Year'' (5) Click on ``FAFSA Instructions'' (6) Click on the red icon to open the file.

Please note that the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software, version 3.0 or greater, is necessary to view this file. This software can be downloaded for free from Adobe's website: http://www.adobe.com

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick J. Sherrill (202) 708-8196. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: There have been several major changes to the FAFSA since the draft posted for comment in the November 30, 1998 Federal Register.

‹bullet› Addition of parents' SSNs and names. Two parent Social Security Numbers and two parent last names have been added to page 6 of the form. These will be required fields for dependent filers.

‹bullet› Notice of IRS verification authority. A notice has been added to the certification language on page 6 of the form advising the applicant that the Secretary has the authority to verify income reported on the application with the Internal Revenue Service.

‹bullet› Number of schools increased. The overall number of schools an applicant can list to receive his or her information has increased from six to eight. However, the fifth through eighth schools can only be listed by Federal School Code. Housing plans can only be listed for the first four schools.

‹bullet› ``Drug Offense'' notice added. A ``drug offense'' notice has been added to the first page advising applicants that if they have ever been convicted of any offense under federal or state law involving possession or sale of a controlled substance they must report any such convictions to their financial aid office.

‹bullet› Elimination of FAFSA.PDF. FAFSA.PDF, a means of submitting a FAFSA via portable document format (PDF) technology, will be discontinued for the 2000-2001 award year.

Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. OMB may amend or waive the requirement for public consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's ability to perform its statutory obligations. The Acting Leader, Information Management Group, Office of the Chief Information Officer, publishes that notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to submission of these requests to OMB. Each proposed information collection, grouped by office, contains the following: (1) Type of review requested, e.g. new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement; (2) Title; (3) Summary of the collection; (4) Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information; (5) Respondents and frequency of collection; and (6) Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment at the address specified above. Copies of the requests are available from Patrick J. Sherrill at the address specified above.

Dated: February 17, 1999. William E. Burrow, Acting Leader, Information Management Group, Office of the Chief Information Officer.

Office of Postsecondary Education

Type of Review: Revision.

Title: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Frequency: Annually.

Affected Public: Individuals or households.

Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden: Responses: 9,848,645 Burden Hours: 6,589,649

Abstract: Collects identifying and financial information from students applying for Federal student aid for postsecondary education. Used to calculate Expected Family Contribution and determine eligibility for grants and loans, under Title IV of the Higher Education Act (HEA).

[FR Doc. 99-4257Filed2-19-99; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000-01-P