Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/04/18/2018-07964/requests-for-documents-and-testimony
Timestamp: 2020-02-25 09:34:30
Document Index: 608036654

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1603', '§\u20091603', '§\u20091603', 'art 1603', 'art 1603', '§\u20091603', '§\u20091603']

A Rule by the Legal Services Corporation on 04/18/2018
83 FR 17086
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-07964 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2018-07964
LSC proposed to create a new regulation, known as a Touhy regulation, that would establish a process by which litigants in cases where LSC is not a party could obtain documents or testimony from LSC and its employees. Arising from the Supreme Court's decision in U.S. ex rel Touhy v. Ragen, 340 U.S. 462 (1951), Touhy regulations define agencies' procedures for responding to document or testimony requests, as well as individual agency employees' obligation to follow such procedures.
Between 2013 and 2017, LSC and its Office of the Inspector General (OIG) received several subpoenas and requests for testimony or documents but did not have internal or external guidance in place regarding such requests. At the OIG's recommendation, LSC added rulemaking on requests for documents and testimony to its rulemaking agenda in 2015. On October 15, 2017, the Operations and Regulations Committee (Committee) of LSC's Board of Directors (Board) voted to recommend that the Board authorize rulemaking on part 1603. On October 17, 2017, the Board authorized LSC to begin rulemaking.
Regulatory action was justified for four reasons. First, a Touhy regulation would promote efficiency and timeliness by identifying those LSC officials with the authority to respond to requests or subpoenas for documents or testimony and establishing a procedure for LSC's consideration of such requests. Second, it would minimize the possibility of involving LSC in controversies not related to its functions. Third, it would prevent the Start Printed Page 17087misuse of LSC's employees as involuntary expert witnesses for private interests or as inappropriate expert witnesses as to the state of the law. Fourth, it would maintain LSC's impartiality toward private litigants.
On January 21, 2018, the Committee voted to recommend that the Board approve this notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for publication. On January 23, 2018, the Board accepted the Committee's recommendation and voted to approve publication of this NPRM with a 30-day comment period. LSC published the notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register on February 1, 2018, 83 FR 4827. The comment period remained open for thirty days and closed on March 5, 2018.
On April 8, 2018, the Committee voted to recommend that the Board adopt this Final Rule and approve its publication in the Federal Register. On April 10, 2018, the Board accepted the Committee's recommendation and voted to adopt and approve publication of this final rule.
LSC received no comments on the proposed rule. Consequently, LSC is adopting the text of the proposed rule published in the Federal Register at 83 FR 4827 with minor revisions. At the Operations and Regulations Committee meeting on April 8, 2018, the Committee recommended that LSC make two technical changes. The first was to include language in the definition of employee to make clear that this rule applies to non-Director members of Board committees. The second was to add language to § 1603.4(a) clarifying that individuals seeking testimony from an employee of OIG must follow the procedures in § 1603.4(b) for requesting testimony from the OIG Legal Counsel, rather than submitting the request to LSC's General Counsel. LSC Management concurred with the recommendations and revised the proposed final rule text accordingly.
In a final rule published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, LSC is removing the existing version of part 1603 pertaining to state advisory councils. LSC is replacing it with this regulation.
For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Legal Services Corporation adds CFR part 1603 to read as follows:
In any proceedings to which this part applies, no employee may provide testimony or produce documents concerning information acquired in the course of performing official duties or because of the person's official relationship with LSC unless authorized by the General Counsel or the OIG Legal Counsel pursuant to this part based on Start Printed Page 17088his or her determination that compliance with the request would promote LSC's objectives.
(a) All requests for testimony by an employee in his or her official capacity, except employees of OIG described in paragraph (b) of this section, and not subject to the exceptions set forth in § 1603.1(d) of this part must be in writing and addressed to the General Counsel.
No employee shall serve as an expert witness in any proceeding described in § 1603.1(c) of this part or before a court or agency of the United States unless the General Counsel or the OIG Legal Counsel authorizes the employee's participation.
[FR Doc. 2018-07964 Filed 4-17-18; 8:45 am]