[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 187 (Thursday, September 25, 2008)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 55458-55459]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-22415]


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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

16 CFR Part 455

[Project No. P087604]


Used Motor Vehicle Trade Regulation Rule

AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.

ACTION: Reopening of period within which to submit comments in response 
to request for public comments.

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SUMMARY: On July 21, 2008, the Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or 
``Commission'') published a Federal Register document soliciting public 
comments in connection with its review of the Used Motor Vehicle Trade 
Regulation Rule (``Used Car Rule'' or ``Rule''). The document stated 
that comments must be received by September 19, 2008. In response to a 
request to extend the comment period received on September 12, 2008, 
the Commission has determined to reopen and extend the comment period 
until November 19, 2008.

DATES: Comments addressing the Used Car Rule must be received on or 
before November 19, 2008.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments 
electronically or in paper form. Comments should refer to ``Used Car 
Regulatory Review, Matter No. P087604'' to facilitate the organization 
of comments. Comments containing material for which confidential 
treatment is requested must be filed in paper form, must be clearly 
labeled ``Confidential,'' and must comply with Commission Rule 
4.9(c).\1\ Comments should not include any sensitive personal 
information, such as an individual's Social Security Number; date of 
birth; driver's license number or other state identification number or 
foreign country equivalent; passport number; financial account number; 
or credit or debit card number. Comments also should not include any 
sensitive health information, such as medical records and other 
individually identifiable health information. In addition, comments 
should not include any ``[t]rade secrets and commercial or financial 
information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential. . . 
.,'' as provided in Section 6(f) of the FTC Act, 15 U.S.C. 46(f), and 
Commission Rule 4.10(a)(2), 16 CFR 4.10(a)(2) (2008).
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    \1\ Commission Rule 4.2(d), 16 CFR 4.2(d). The comment must be 
accompanied by an explicit request for confidential treatment, 
including the factual and legal basis for the request, and must 
identify the specific portions of the comment to be withheld from 
the public record. The request will be granted or denied by the 
Commission's General Counsel, consistent with applicable law and the 
public interest. See Commission Rule 4.9(c), 16 CFR 4.9(c).
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    Because paper mail in the Washington area, and specifically to the 
FTC, is subject to delay due to heightened security screening, please 
consider submitting your comments in electronic form. Comments filed in 
electronic form should be submitted by using the following weblink: 
(https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-UsedCarRuleReview) (and following 
the instructions on the web-based form). To ensure that the Commission 
considers an electronic comment, you must file it on the web-based form 
at the weblink: (https://secure.commentworks.com/ftc-UsedCarRuleReview). If this document appears at http://www.regulations.gov, you may also file an electronic comment through 
that website. The Commission will consider all comments that 
regulations.gov forwards to it. You may also visit the FTC website at 
http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2008/07/ucr.shtm to read the Federal Register 
document announcing the request for public comments and the news 
release describing it.
    A comment filed in paper form should include the ``Used Car Rule 
Regulatory Review, P087604'' reference both in the text and on the 
envelope, and should be mailed or delivered to the following address: 
Federal Trade Commission, Office of the Secretary, Room H-135 (Annex 
H), 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580.
    The FTC Act and other laws the Commission administers permit the 
collection of public comments to consider and use in this proceeding as 
appropriate. The Commission will consider all timely and responsive 
public comments that it receives, whether filed in paper or electronic 
form. Comments received will be available to the public on the FTC 
website, to the extent practicable, at (http://www.ftc.gov/os/publiccomments.shtm). As a matter of discretion, the FTC makes every 
effort to remove home contact information for individuals from the 
public comments it receives before placing those comments on the FTC 
website. More information, including routine uses permitted by the 
Privacy Act, may be found in the FTC's privacy policy, at (http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/privacy.shtm).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John C. Hallerud, Attorney, Midwest 
Region, Federal Trade Commission, 55 West Monroe Street, Suite 1825, 
Chicago, Illinois 60603, (312) 960-5615.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission's July 21, 2008 Federal 
Register document seeks comments on the Rule's costs, benefits, and 
effectiveness. The document seeks comments on whether the Rule should 
permit used car dealers to use a single bilingual Buyers Guide and, if 
so, on how to design a bilingual Buyers Guide. The document also asks 
for comments on the Buyers Guide's pre-printed list of systems and 
major defects. In addition, the document solicits comments on whether 
the Rule should be revised to permit dealers to use alternative Buyers 
Guides when disclosing manufacturer's warranties and other third-party 
warranties.
    On September 12, 2008, the Commission received a joint letter from 
Consumer Action, Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety, the 
Consumer Federation of America, the National Association of Consumer 
Advocates, and the National Consumer Law Center requesting that the 
comment period be extended for sixty days. Among other reasons 
supporting the request, these organizations cite their need to conduct 
research to address the numerous questions raised in the Commission's 
Federal Register document and changes that have occurred in the 
automotive marketplace and information technologies since the 
Commission last

[[Page 55459]]

reviewed the Rule. The organizations argue that they will be able to 
present more carefully considered comments if provided an additional 
sixty days to comment.
    Based on the arguments raised in the joint letter, the Commission 
believes that an extension of the initial sixty-day comment period 
until November 19, 2008 is reasonable. The additional time should 
enable the organizations that sent the letter and other commenters to 
submit detailed and thoughtful comments in response to the document. 
Accordingly, the Commission has decided to extend the comment period 
set forth in the July 21, 2008 Federal Register document until November 
19, 2008.
    By direction of the Commission.

Donald S. Clark
Secretary
[FR Doc. E8-22415 Filed 9-24-08: 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-S