26546 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 28, 1996 / Notices

(Texas Standards) meet or exceed the

new construction and alterations

requirements of title III of the

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

(ADA). The Department proposes to

issue a final certification, pursuant to 42

U.S.C. 12188(b)(1)(A)(ii) and 28 C.F.R.

§ 36.601 et seq., which would constitute

rebuttable evidence, in any enforcement

proceeding, that a building constructed

or altered in accordance with the Texas

Standards meets or exceeds the

requirements of the ADA. The

Department will hold informal hearings

on the proposed certification in

Washington, D.C. and Austin, Texas.

DATES: To be assured of consideration,

comments must be in writing and must

be received on or before July 29, 1996.

The hearing in Austin, Texas is

scheduled for Tuesday, June 25, 1996 at

1:00 pm, Central Time. The hearing in

Washington, D.C. is scheduled for

Thursday, August 1, 1996 at 9:30 am,

Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: Comments on the

preliminary determination of

equivalency and on the proposal to

issue final certification of equivalency

of the Texas Standards should be sent

to: John L. Wodatch, Chief, Disability

Rights Section, Civil Rights Division,

U.S. Department of Justice, P.O. Box

66738, Washington, D.C. 20035–6738.

The hearings will be held at:

Austin, Texas: State of Texas, Capitol

Building Extension, Room E2.012,

Austin, Texas

Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of

Justice, Civil Rights Division,

Disability Rights Section, 1425 New

York Avenue, N.W., Suite 4039,

Washington, D.C.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

John L. Wodatch, Chief, Disability

Rights Section, Civil Rights Division,

U.S. Department of Justice, P.O. Box

66738, Washington, D.C. 20035–6738.

Telephone number (800) 514–0301

(Voice) or (800) 514–0383 (TDD).

Copies of this notice are available in

formats accessible to individuals with

vision impairments and may be

obtained by calling (800) 514–0301

(Voice) or (800) 514–0383 (TDD). Copies

of the Texas Standards and supporting

materials may be inspected by

appointment at 1425 New York Avenue,

N.W., Suite 4039, Washington, D.C. by

calling Tito Mercado at (202) 307–0663

(Voice/TDD). This is not a toll-free

number.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

The ADA authorizes the Department

of Justice, upon application by a State

or local government, to certify that a

State or local law that establishes

accessibility requirements meets or

exceeds the minimum requirements of

title III of the ADA for new construction

and alterations. 42 U.S.C.

12188(b)(1)(A)(ii); 28 CFR 36.601 et seq.

Final certification constitutes rebuttable

evidence, in any ADA enforcement

action, that a building constructed or

altered in accordance with the certified

code complies with the new

construction and alterations

requirements of title III of the ADA.

By letter dated November 17, 1994,

the Texas Department of Licensing and

Regulation requested that the

Department of Justice (Department)

certify that the State of Texas

Accessibility Standards, effective April

1, 1994, as adopted pursuant to Texas

Civil Statutes, Article 9102, as amended

effective September 1, 1993, and the

Architectural Barriers Administrative

Rules, Chapter 68, as amended effective

June 1, 1994 (Texas Standards), meet or

exceed the new construction and

alterations requirements of title III of the

ADA.

The Department has analyzed the

Texas Standards, and has preliminarily

determined that they meet or exceed the

new construction and alterations

requirements of title III of the ADA. By

letter dated May 10, 1996, the

Department notified the Texas

Department of Licensing and Regulation

of its preliminary determination of

equivalency.

Effect of Certification

The certification determination will

be limited to the version of the Texas

Standards that has been submitted to

the Department. The certification will

not apply to amendments or

interpretations that have not been

submitted and reviewed by the

Department.

Certification will not apply to

buildings constructed by or for State or

local government entities, which are

subject to title II of the ADA. Nor does

certification apply to accessibility

requirements that are addressed by the

Texas Standards that are not addressed

by the ADA Standards for Accessible

Design, such as the provisions for

children’s facilities in the Texas

Standards.

Finally, certification does not apply to

variances or waivers granted under the

Texas Standards by the Commissioner

of Licensing and Regulation. Therefore,

if a builder receives a variance, waiver,

modification, or other exemption from

the requirements of the Texas Standards

for any element of construction or

alterations, the certification

determination will not constitute

evidence of ADA compliance with

respect to that element.

Procedure

The Department will hold informal

hearings in Washington, DC and Austin,

Texas to provide an opportunity for

interested persons, including

individuals with disabilities, to express

their views with respect to the

preliminary determination of

equivalency of the Texas Standards.

Interested parties who wish to testify at

a hearing should contact Tito Mercado

at (202) 307–0663 (Voice/TDD). This is

not a toll-free number.

The hearing sites will be accessible to

individuals with disabilities.

Individuals who require sign language

interpreters or other auxiliary aids

should contact Tito Mercado at (202)

307–0663 (Voice/TDD). This is not a

toll-free number.

Dated: May 21, 1996.

Deval L. Patrick,

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.

[FR Doc. 96–13292 Filed 5–24–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410–01–M

Certification of the State of Texas

Accessibility Standards Under the

Americans With Disabilities Act

AGENCY: Department of Justice.

ACTION: Notice of hearings.

SUMMARY: The Department of Justice

will hold informal hearings on the

proposed certification that the State of

Texas Accessibility Standards meet or

exceed the new construction and

alternations requirements of title III of

the Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA) in Washington, D.C. and Austin,

Texas.

DATES: The hearing in Austin, Texas is

scheduled for Tuesday, June 25, 1996 at

1:00 PM, Central Time. The hearing in

Washington, D.C. is scheduled for

Thursday, August 1, 1996, at 9:30 AM,

Eastern Time.

ADDRESSES: The hearings will be held at:

Austin, Texas: State of Texas, Capitol

Building Extension, Room E2.012,

Austin, Texas

Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of

Justice, Civil Rights Division,

Disability Rights Section, 1425 New

York Avenue, N.W., Suite 4039,

Washington, D.C.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John

L. Wodatch, Chief, Disability Rights

Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S.

Department of Justice, P.O. Box 66738,

Washington, D.C. 20035–6738.

Telephone number (800 ) 514–0301

(Voice) or (800) 514–0383 (TDD).
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 103 / Tuesday, May 28, 1996 / Notices 26547

Copies of this notice are available in

formats accessible to individuals with

vision impairments and may be

obtained by calling (800) 514–0301

(Voice) or (800) 514–0383 (TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May

28, 1996, the Department of Justice

(Department) published a notice in the

Federal Register announcing that it had

preliminarily determined that the State

of Texas Accessibility Standards,

effective April 1, 1994, as adopted

pursuant to Texas Civil Statutes, Article

9102, as amended effective September 1,

1993, and the Architectural Barriers

Administrative Rules, Chapter 68, as

amended effective June 1, 1994 (Texas

Standards), meet or exceed the new

construction and alternations

requirements of title III of the ADA. The

Department also noted that it intended

to issue final certification of the Texas

Standards and requested written

comments on the preliminary

determination and the proposed final

certification. Finally, the Department

noted that it intended to hold informal

hearings in Washington, D.C. and

Austin, Texas.

The purpose of the informal hearings

is to provide an opportunity for

interested persons, including

individuals with disabilities, to express

their views with respect to the

preliminary determination of

equivalency of the Texas Standards.

Interested parties who wish to testify at

a hearing should contact Tito Mercado

at (202) 307–0663 (Voice/TDD). This is

not a toll-free number.

The meeting sites will be accessible to

individuals with disabilities.

Individuals who require sign language

interpreters or other auxiliary aids

should contact Tito Mercado at (202)

307–0663 (Voice/TDD). This is not a

toll-free number.

Dated: May 21, 1996.

Deval L. Patrick,

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights.

[FR Doc. 96–13293 Filed 5–24–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410–01–M

Immigration and Naturalization Service

Agency Information Collection

Activities: Extension of Existing

Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice of Information Collection

Under Review; Application for

Certificate of Citizenship in Behalf of an

Adopted Child.

Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) approval is being sought for the

information collection listed below.

This proposed information collection

was previously published in the Federal

Register on March 21, 1996 at 61 FR

11651, allowing for a 60-day public

comment period. No comments were

received by the Immigration and

Naturalization Service.

The purpose of this notice is to allow

an additional 30 days for public

comments from the date listed at the top

of this page in the Federal Register.

This process is conducted in accordance

with 5 Code of Federal Regulations, Part

1320.10.

Written comments and/or suggestions

regarding the item(s) contained in this

notice, especially regarding the

estimated public burden and associated

response time, should be directed to the

Office of Management and Budget,

Office of Regulatory Affairs, Attention:

Department of Justice Desk Officer,

Washington, DC 20530. Additionally,

comments may be submitted to OMB via

facsimile to 202–395–7285. Comments

may also be submitted to the

Department of Justice (DOJ), Justice

Management Division, Information

Management and Security Staff,

Attention: Department Clearance

Officer, Suite 850, 1001 G Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20530. Additionally,

comments may be submitted to DOJ via

facsimile to 202–514–1534.

Written comments and suggestions

from the public and affected agencies

should address one or more of the

following points:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agency/component,

including whether the information will

have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the

agencies/components estimate of the

burden of the proposed collection of

information, including the validity of

the methodology and assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and

(4) 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.

The proposed collection is listed

below:

(1) Type of Information Collection:

Extension of a currently approved

collection.

(2) Title of the Form/Collection.

Application for Certificate of

Citizenship in Behalf of an Adopted

Child.

(3) Agency form number, if any, and

the applicable component of the

Department of Justice sponsoring the

collection: Form N–643. Office of

Examinations, Adjudications Division,

Immigration and Naturalization Service.

(4) Affected public who will be asked

or required to respond, as well as a brief

abstract: Primary: Individuals or

Household. The information collected is

used to allow U.S. citizen parents to

apply for a certificate of citizenship on

behalf of their adopted alien children.

(5) An estimate of the total number of

respondents and the amount of time

estimated for an average respondent to

respond: 8,000 respondents at one hour

per response.

(6) An estimate of the total public

burden (in hours) associated with the

collection: 8,000 annual burden hours.

Public comment on this proposed

information collection is strongly

encouraged.

Dated: May 20, 1996.

Robert B. Briggs,

Department Clearance Officer, United States

Department of Justice.

[FR Doc. 96–13214 Filed 5–24–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4410–18–M

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Assistance; Agency

Information Collection Activities:

Proposed Collection; Comment

Request

ACTION: Notice of Information Collection

Under Review; Subgrant Award Report

for Violence Against Women Formula

Grant Program.

The proposed information collection

is published to obtain comments from

the public and affected agencies.

Comments are encouraged and will be

accepted for 60 days from the date listed

at the top of this page in the Federal

Register. Request written comments and

suggestions from the public and affected

agencies concerning the proposed

collection of information. Your

comments should address one or more

of the following four points:

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed

collection of information is necessary

for the proper performance of the

functions of the agency, including

whether the information will have

practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the

agencies estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information,

including the validity of the

methodology and assumptions used;