[Federal Register: July 30, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 146)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 45579-45580]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30jy04-13]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census
15 CFR Part 50
[Docket No. 040408109-4209-02]
RIN 0607-AA41
Amendment to the Age Search Fee Structure
AGENCY: Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of the Census (Census Bureau) is amending the Code
of Federal Regulations (CFR), to increase the fee for conducting an Age
Search from $40.00 to $65.00. The Census Bureau also is adding an
additional charge of $20.00 per case for expedited requests requiring
search results within one day. These changes are being made to recover
the increase in operating costs associated with processing an Age
Search request.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule is effective on August 30, 2004.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eileen Little, Chief, Survey
Processing
[[Page 45580]]
Branch, National Processing Center, U.S. Census Bureau, 1201 East 10th
Street, Building 64C, Jeffersonville, IN 47132, by telephone at (812)
218-3796 or by fax at (812) 218-3081.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Background
The age and citizenship searching service is a self-supporting
operation of the Census Bureau, conducted in accordance with Title 13,
United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 8(a). Under this statute, all
expenses incurred in the retrieval of personal information from
decennial census records and the preparation of census transcripts are
covered by fees paid by individuals who request this service. The Age
Search census transcript provides proof of age to qualify individuals
for social security or other retirements benefits, proof of citizenship
to obtain passports, proof of family relationships for rights of
inheritance, or to satisfy other situations where a birth certificate
is required but not available. Individuals request the Age Search
service to qualify for social security/retirement benefits, obtain
passports, documentation for court litigation or insurance settlements,
and genealogical research. The 1910 through 2000 censuses in custody of
the Census Bureau are confidential and protected from disclosure by
Title 13, U.S.C., Section 9. No transcript of any record will be
furnished that would violate statutes requiring that information
furnished to the Census Bureau be held confidential and not used to the
detriment of the person to whom it relates.
On April 30, 2004, the Census Bureau published in the Federal
Register (69 FR 23700) a notice of proposed rulemaking and request for
comments on this subject. The Census Bureau did not receive any
comments on that notice and therefore the proposed rule is adopted as
final.
Program Requirements
There has not been an Age Search fee increase since February 1,
1993. Due to an increase in operating costs over this 11-year period
and in order to help maintain the self-supporting financial status, the
Census Bureau is making the following amendment to 15 CFR 50:
Amend Section 50.5 to update the fee structure and add a
fee charge for expedited requests. The Census Bureau is increasing the
fee structure from $40.00 to $65.00 on searches of one census for one
person and one transcript. The Census Bureau also is adding an
additional charge of $20.00 per case for expedited requests requiring
search results within one day. The additional $20.00 charge for
expedited cases represents the estimated cost to the Census Bureau for
this service.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Chief Counsel for Regulation of the Department of Commerce
certified to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business
Administration that this rule would not have a significant economic
impact on a substantial number of small entities. Most, if not all,
respondents affected by the fee increase are individuals, not small or
large businesses. No comments were received on the certification
therefore a final regulatory flexibility analysis was not required or
prepared.
Executive Orders
This rule has been determined to be not significant for purposes of
Executive Order 12866. This rule does not contain policies with
federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order
13132.
Paperwork Reduction Act
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required
to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure
to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements
of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that collection of information
displays a current Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control
number. On July 1, 2004, OMB cleared the form used to request age
searches (Form BC-600), and the associated increase in fee structure,
under OMB Control Number 0607-0117. This clearance addresses increasing
the fee structure from $40.00 to $65.00 on searches of one census for
one person and one transcript, and adding an additional charge of
$20.00 per case for expedited requests requiring search results within
one day.
List of Subjects in 15 CFR Part 50
Census data, Population census, Statistics.
0
For reasons set out in the preamble, Part 50 is amended as follows:
PART 50--SPECIAL SERVICES AND STUDIES BY THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
0
1. The authority citation for 15 CFR Part 50 is revised to read as
follows:
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1525-1527 and 13 U.S.C. 3 and 8.
0
2. Revise Sec. 50.5 to read as follows:
Sec. 50.5 Fee structure for age search and citizenship information.
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Type of service Fee
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Searches of one census for one person and one transcript....... $65.00
Each additional copy of census transcript...................... 2.00
\1\ Each full schedule requested............................... 10.00
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\1\ The $10.00 for each full schedule requested is in addition to the
$65.00 transcript fee.
Note: An additional charge of $20.00 per case is charged for
expedited requests requiring search results within one day.
Dated: July 27, 2004.
Charles Louis Kincannon,
Director, Bureau of the Census.
[FR Doc. 04-17359 Filed 7-29-04; 8:45 am]
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