Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 10 / Friday, January 15, 2021 / Notices 4125 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In 

accordance with the PRA and 5 CFR 

1320.8(d)(1), we provide the general 

public and other Federal agencies with 

an opportunity to comment on new, 

proposed, revised, and continuing 

collections of information. This helps us 

assess the impact of our information 

collection requirements and minimize 

the public’s reporting burden. It also 

helps the public understand our 

information collection requirements and 

provide the requested data in the 

desired format. 

A Federal Register notice with a 60- 

day public comment period soliciting 

comments on this collection of 

information was published on October 

15, 2020 (85 FR 65422). No comments 

were received. 

As part of our continuing effort to 

reduce paperwork and respondent 

burdens, we are again soliciting 

comments from the public and other 

Federal agencies on the proposed ICR 

that is described below. We are 

especially interested in public comment 

addressing the following: 

(1) Whether or not the collection of 

information is necessary for the proper 

performance of the functions of the 

agency, including whether or not the 

information will have practical utility; 

(2) The accuracy of our estimate of the 

burden for this collection of 

information, including the validity of 

the methodology and assumptions used; 

(3) Ways to enhance the quality, 

utility, and clarity of the information to 

be collected; and 

(4) How might the agency minimize 

the burden of the collection of 

information on those who are to 

respond, including through the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology, e.g., permitting 

electronic submission of response. 

Comments that you submit in 

response to this notice are a matter of 

public record. Before including your 

address, phone number, email address, 

or other personal identifying 

information in your comment, you 

should be aware that your entire 

comment—including your personal 

identifying information—may be made 

publicly available at any time. While 

you can ask us in your comment to 

withhold your personal identifying 

information from public review, we 

cannot guarantee that we will be able to 

do so. 

Abstract: The information is being 

collected to ensure that the applicants 

for blaster certification are qualified. 

This information, with blasting tests, 

will be used to determine the eligibility 

of the applicant. 

Title of Collection: Certification of 

blasters in Federal program states and 

on Indian lands. 

OMB Control Number: 1029–0083. 

Form Number: OSM–74. 

Type of Review: Extension of a 

currently approved collection. 

Respondents/Affected Public: 

Individuals. 

Total Estimated Number of Annual 

Respondents: 18. 

Total Estimated Number of Annual 

Responses: 18. 

Estimated Completion Time per 

Response: 1 hour. 

Total Estimated Number of Annual 

Burden Hours: 18. 

Respondent’s Obligation: Required to 

obtain or retain a benefit. 

Frequency of Collection: One time. 

Total Estimated Annual Nonhour 

Burden Cost: $1,370. 

An agency may not conduct or 

sponsor and a person is not required to 

respond to a collection of information 

unless it displays a currently valid OMB 

control number. 

The authority for this action is the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 

Mark J. Gehlhar, 

Information Collection Clearance Officer, 

Division of Regulatory Support. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00873 Filed 1–14–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–05–P 

DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 

[OMB Number 1121–0314] 

Agency Information Collection 

Activities: Proposed Collection; 

Comments Requested; Resinstatment 

of a Previously Approved Collection: 

Firearm Inquiry Statistics (FIST) 

Program 

AGENCY: Bureau of Justice Statistics, 

Department of Justice. 

ACTION: 60-Day notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Justice 

(DOJ), Office of Justice Programs, 

Bureau of Justice Statistics, will be 

submitting the following information 

collection request to the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) for 

review and approval in accordance with 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. 

DATES: Comments are encouraged and 

will be accepted for 60 days until March 

16, 2021. If you have additional 

comments especially on the estimated 

public burden or associated response 

time, suggestions, or need a copy of the 

proposed information collection 

instrument with instructions or 

additional information, please contact 

Connor Brooks, Statistician, Law 

Enforcement Statistics Unit, Bureau of 

Justice Statistics, 810 Seventh Street 

NW, Washington, DC 20531 (email: 

Connor.Brooks@usdoj.gov; phone: 202– 

514–8633). 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Written 

comments and suggestions from the 

public and affected agencies concerning 

the proposed collection of information 

are encouraged. Your comments should 

address one or more of the following 

four points: 

—Evaluate whether the proposed 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the Bureau of Justice 

Statistics, including whether the 

information will have practical utility; 

—Evaluate the accuracy of the agency’s 

estimate of the burden of the 

proposed collection of information, 

including the validity of the 

methodology and assumptions used; 

—Evaluate whether and if so how the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information to be collected can be 

enhanced; and 

—Minimize the burden of the collection 

of information on those who are to 

respond, including through the use of 

appropriate automated, electronic, 

mechanical, or other technological 

collection techniques or other forms 

of information technology, e.g., 

permitting electronic submission of 

responses. 

Overview of This Information 

Collection 

(1) Type of Information Collection: 

Reinstatement of the Firearm Inquiry 

Statistics Program. 

(2) The Title of the Form/Collection: 

2019–2021 Firearm Inquiry Statistics 

Program. 

(3) The agency form number, if any, 

and the applicable component of the 

Department sponsoring the collection: 

The form number is FIST–1. The 

applicable component within the 

Department of Justice is the Bureau of 

Justice Statistics, Office of Justice 

Programs. 

(4) Affected public who will be asked 

or required to respond, as well as a brief 

abstract: Through the Firearm Inquiry 

Statistics (FIST) Program, the Bureau of 

Justice Statistics (BJS) obtains 

information from state and local 

checking agencies responsible for 

maintaining records on the number of 

background checks for firearm transfers 

or permits that were issued, processed, 

tracked, or conducted during the 

calendar year. Specifically, state and 

4126 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 10 / Friday, January 15, 2021 / Notices 

1Other than the statutory and regulatory 

requirements included in the document, the 

contents of this guidance do not have the force and 

effect of law and are not meant to bind the public 

in any way. This document is intended only to 

provide clarity to the public regarding existing 

requirements under the law or agency policies. 

2Exec. Order No. 13798, 82 FR 21,675 (May 4, 

2017). 

3Office of Att’y Gen., Federal Law Protections for 

Religious Liberty, Memorandum for All Executive 

Departments and Agencies (Oct. 6, 2017). 

4Office of Mgmt. & Budget, Exec. Office of the 

President, M–20–09, Guidance Regarding Federal 

Grants and Executive Order 13798 (Jan. 16, 2020). 

5 In addition, the Supreme Court recently 

reaffirmed that the Constitution guarantees the full 

participation of faith-based organizations in 

publicly funded programs. See Espinoza v. 

Montana Dep’t of Revenue, 140 S.Ct. 2246 (2020). 

local checking agencies are asked to 

provide information on the number of 

applications and denials for firearm 

transfers received or tracked by the 

agency and reasons why applications 

were denied. BJS combines these data 

with the Federal Bureau of 

Investigation’s (FBI) National Instant 

Criminal Background Check System 

(NICS) transaction data to produce 

comprehensive national statistics on 

firearm applications and denials 

resulting from the Brady Handgun 

Violence Prevention Act of 1993 and 

similar state laws governing background 

checks and firearm transfers. BJS also 

plans to collect information from the 

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, 

and Explosives (ATF) on denials 

screened and referred to ATF field 

offices for investigation and possible 

prosecution. BJS publishes FIST data on 

the BJS website in statistical tables and 

uses the information to respond to 

inquiries from Congress, federal, state, 

and local government officials, 

researchers, students, the media, and 

other members of the general public 

interested in criminal justice statistics. 

(5) An estimate of the total number of 

respondents and the amount of time 

estimated for an average respondent to 

respond: A projected 1,091 respondents 

will take part in the FIST data collection 

with an average of 25 minutes for each 

to complete the FIST survey form. 

(6) An estimate of the total public 

burden (in hours) associated with the 

collection: The estimated public burden 

hours associated with this collection is 

455 hours annually. 

If additional information is required 

contact: Melody Braswell, Department 

Clearance Officer, United States 

Department of Justice, Justice 

Management Division, Policy and 

Planning Staff, Two Constitution 

Square, 145 N Street NE, 3E.405A, 

Washington, DC 20530. 

Dated: January 12, 2021. 

Melody Braswell, 

Department Clearance Officer for PRA, U.S. 

Department of Justice. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00929 Filed 1–14–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4410–18–P 

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR 

[Docket No. DOL–2021–0001] 

Guidance Regarding Department of 

Labor Grants 

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Administration & 

Management, Department of Labor. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Labor 

publishes its ‘‘Guidance Regarding 

Department of Labor Grants’’ detailing 

the general rules regarding equal 

protection of faith-based organizations 

that govern the Department’s grant and 

financial assistance programs. This 

guidance is issued pursuant to 

Executive Order 13798, titled 

‘‘Promoting Free Speech and Religious 

Liberty,’’ signed by the President on 

May 4, 2017, and the related Office of 

Management and Budget guidance 

issued on January 16, 2020. This 

guidance also reflects changes to the 

Department’s regulations recently made 

through the inter-agency rulemaking, 

‘‘Equal Participation of Faith-Based 

Organizations in the Federal Agencies’ 

Programs and Activities,’’ published on 

December 17, 2020. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carl 

Campbell, Office of the Senior 

Procurement Executive, Office of the 

Assistant Secretary for Administration 

and Management. Telephone: 1–202– 

693–7246. TTY/TDD callers may dial 

toll-free 1–800–877–8339 for further 

information. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Department publishes this guidance to 

protect religious liberty in the 

administration of its grant and financial 

assistance programs, in compliance with 

Federal law. The guidance details the 

ways in which the Department’s specific 

regulations protect the religious freedom 

of faith-based organizations that 

participate in these programs, and 

describes the process by which faithbased organizations can seek 

exemptions from religious nondiscrimination requirements in their 

employment practices. The guidance is 

provided in the Appendix of this notice. 

Bryan Slater, 

Assistant Secretary for Administration and 

Management, Department of Labor. 

Appendix—Guidance Regarding 

Department of Labor Grants 1 

I. Purpose and Background 

On May 4, 2017, the President signed 

Executive Order 13798, titled ‘‘Promoting 

Free Speech and Religious Liberty.’’ 2 Among 

other things, Executive Order 13798 

establishes a policy of promoting religious 

liberty and directed the Attorney General to 

provide guidance to Federal agencies on the 

requirements of Federal laws and policies 

protecting religious liberty. Accordingly, on 

October 6, 2017, the Attorney General issued 

a memorandum advising agencies on such 

laws and policies, including how they apply 

to the award of grants (Attorney General 

Memorandum).3 Subsequently, the Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) issued its 

own guidance on January 16, 2020 (OMB 

Memorandum), directing all grantadministering agencies ‘‘within 120 days of 

the date of this Memorandum . . . [to] 

publish policies detailing how they will 

administer Federal grants in compliance with 

E.O. 13798, the Attorney General 

memorandum, and this Memorandum.’’ 4

The OMB and Attorney General 

Memoranda make clear that Federal law 

entitles religious organizations to compete on 

equal footing with secular organizations for 

Federal financial assistance.5 In line with 

these principles, the Department of Labor 

(DOL or Department) is committed to 

ensuring that DOL-supported social service 

programs are open to all qualified 

organizations, regardless of the organizations’ 

religious character. In particular, any grant 

rule or policy that penalizes or disqualifies 

a religious organization from the right to 

compete for a grant or contract because of 

that organization’s religious character could 

violate the Free Exercise Clause of the First 

Amendment to the Constitution, or governing 

DOL regulations. A rule or policy that 

imposes a substantial burden on an 

organization’s exercise of religion may also, 

depending on the circumstances, violate the 

Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). 

To ensure that all organizations are treated 

equally in the issuance of awards and subawards of Department grant funds, and that 

Federal law’s protections for religious liberty 

are faithfully adhered to, the Department is 

issuing this guidance. The sections that 

follow detail the general rules regarding 

equal protection of faith-based organizations 

that govern DOL grant programs, and the 

process by which faith-based organizations 

can seek exemptions from religious nondiscrimination requirements in their 

employment practices. 

II. Equal Treatment in Department of Labor 

Programs for Faith-Based Organizations 

a. Equal Participation of Faith-Based 

Organizations 

Faith-based organizations are eligible, on 

the same basis as any other organization, to 

seek DOL support or participate in DOL 

programs for which they are otherwise 

eligible. DOL and DOL social service 

intermediary providers, as well as State and 

local governments administering DOL 

support, must not discriminate for or against 

an organization on the basis of the 

organization’s religious character, affiliation,