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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 27, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 93814-93815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-27811]

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SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

[Docket No: SSA-2024-0050]

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request and 
Comment Request

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) publishes a list of 
information collection packages requiring clearance by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) in compliance with Public Law 104-13, the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, effective October 1, 1995. This notice 
includes a revision of an OMB-approved information collection.
    SSA is soliciting comments on the accuracy of the agency's burden 
estimate; the need for the information; its practical utility; ways to 
enhance its quality, utility, and clarity; and ways to minimize burden 
on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology. Mail, email, or fax your 
comments and recommendations on the information collection(s) to the 
OMB Desk Officer and SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the following 
addresses or fax numbers.

(OMB), Office of Management and Budget, Attn: Desk Officer for SSA
(SSA), Social Security Administration, OLCA, Attn: Reports Clearance 
Director, Mail Stop 3253 Altmeyer, 6401 Security Blvd., Baltimore, MD 
21235, Fax: 833-410-1631, Email address: [email protected]

    Or you may submit your comments online through https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain by clicking on Currently under 
Review--Open for Public Comments and choosing to click on one of SSA's 
published items. Please reference Docket ID Number [SSA-2024-0050] in 
your submitted response.
    The information collection below is pending at SSA. SSA will submit 
it to OMB within 60 days from the date of this notice. To be sure we 
consider your comments, we must receive them no later than January 27, 
2025. Individuals can obtain copies of the collection instruments by 
writing to the above email address.
    Rules of Conduct and Standards of Responsibility for Appointed 
Representatives--20 CFR 404.1740(b)(5), 404.1740(b)(6), 404.1740(b)(9), 
416.1540(b)(5), 416.1540(b)(6), and 416.1540(b)(9)--0960-0804. Section 
205(a) of the Social Security Act (the Act) authorizes SSA's 
Commissioner to make rules and regulations and to establish procedures, 
not inconsistent with the provisions of this title, which are necessary 
or appropriate to carry out such provisions. Section 1631(d)(1) of the 
Act incorporates section 205(a) and applies it to Title XVI of the Act. 
Additionally, sections 206(a) and 1631(d)(2) of the Act provide that 
the Commissioner has the authority to establish rules and regulations 
governing the recognition of individuals who represent claimants before 
the Commissioner. Individuals appointed to represent claimants before 
SSA must report to SSA in writing whenever one of the following 
situations in our revised regulations occurs:
     20 CFR 404.1740(b)(5) and 416.1540(b)(5)--This regulatory 
section requires representatives to disclose to SSA in writing, at the 
time a medical or vocational opinion is submitted to SSA, or as soon as 
the representative is aware of the submission to us, if the 
representative's employee or any individual contracting with the 
representative drafted, prepared, or issued a medical or vocational 
opinion about a claimant's disability, or if the representative 
referred or suggested that the claimant seek an examination from, 
treatment by, or the assistance of the individual providing opinion 
evidence;
     20 CFR 404.1740(b)(6) and 416.1540(b)(6)--This regulatory 
section requires representatives to disclose to SSA immediately if the 
representative discovers that his or her services are or were used by 
the claimant to commit fraud against SSA;
    A representative's obligation to report these events is ongoing, 
and SSA requires representatives to report any time one or more of 
these events occurs. We consider this information essential to ensure 
the integrity of our administrative process and to safeguard the rights 
of all claimants. SSA requires representatives to notify SSA in 
writing, but there is no prescribed format for these reports. The 
respondents are individuals appointed to represent claimants before 
SSA.
    Type of Request: Revision of an OMB-approved information 
collection.

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                                                                                                                            Average
                                                                                      Average  burden     Estimated       theoretical      Total annual
               Regulation citations                    Number of       Frequency of    per  response    annual burden     hourly cost      opportunity
                                                      respondents        response        (minutes)         (hours)           amount       cost (dollars)
                                                                                                                          (dollars) *           **
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404.1740(b)(5)&(6)/416.1540(b)(5)&(6).............          43,600                1                5            3,633           $58.40         $212,149
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* We based this figure on average hourly wages for paralegals/legal assistants and lawyers https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes231011.htm as posted by
  the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_nat.htm).
** These figures do not represent actual costs that SSA is imposing on representatives to complete the required disclosures; rather, these are
  theoretical opportunity costs for the additional time representatives or their employees and associates will spend to complete the required
  disclosures. There is no actual charge to representatives to complete the required disclosures.

[[Page 93815]]

    Dated: November 22, 2024.
Naomi Sipple,
Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2024-27811 Filed 11-26-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4191-02-P
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