Notices. Notice and request for comments

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BILLING CODE 3710-52-M DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request AGENCY: Department of Education. SUMMARY: The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management invites comments on the submission for OMB review as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before June 18, 2007. ADDRESSES: Written comments should be addressed to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention:

Education Desk Officer, Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., Room 10222, Washington, DC 20503. Commenters are encouraged to submit responses electronically by email to *oira_submission@omb.eop.gov* or via fax to

(202)395-6974. Commenters should include the following subject line in their response “Comment: [insert OMB number], [insert abbreviated collection name, e.g., “Upward Bound Evaluation”]. Persons submitting comments electronically should not submit paper copies. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)provide interested Federal agencies and the public an early opportunity to comment on information collection requests. OMB may amend or waive the requirement for public consultation to the extent that public participation in the approval process would defeat the purpose of the information collection, violate State or Federal law, or substantially interfere with any agency's ability to perform its statutory obligations. The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, publishes that notice containing proposed information collection requests prior to submission of these requests to OMB. Each proposed information collection, grouped by office, contains the following:

(1)Type of review requested, e.g. new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement;

(2)Title;

(3)Summary of the collection;

(4)Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information;

(5)Respondents and frequency of collection; and

(6)Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment. Dated: May 14, 2007. Angela C. Arrington, IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management. Office of Vocational and Adult Education *Type of Review:* New. *Title:* Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program Application for Grants. *Frequency:* Semi-Annually; Annually. *Affected Public:* Not-for-profit institutions. *Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:* *Responses:* 10. *Burden Hours:* 1,200. *Abstract:* The Native Hawaiian Career and Technical Education Program (NHCTEP) is a discretionary grant program that provides financial assistance to projects that offer career and technical education training and related activities for the benefit of Native Hawaiians. Under the new legislation, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, eligible applicants for the 2-year funding are Native Hawaiian community-based organizations primarily serving and representing Native Hawaiians to plan, conduct, and administer programs, or portions thereof, which are authorized by and consistent with the provisions in section 116 of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. Native Hawaiian Community-based organizations means any organizations that are composed primarily of Native Hawaiians from a specific community and that assists in the social, cultural, and educational development of Native Hawaiians in that community. Estimated available funds: $2,955,969 for the first 12 months of the 24-month project period. Funding for year two is subject to the availability of funds and to a grantee meeting the U.S. Department of Education's reporting requirements. This information collection is being submitted under the Streamlined Clearance Process for Discretionary Grant Information Collections (1890-0001). Therefore, the 30-day public comment period notice will be the only public comment notice published for this information collection. Requests for copies of the information collection submission for OMB review may be accessed from *http://edicsweb.ed.gov* , by selecting the “Browse Pending Collections” link and by clicking on link number 3346. When you access the information collection, click on “Download Attachments” to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-4700. Requests may also be electronically mailed to *ICDocketMgr@ed.gov* or faxed to 202-245-6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request. Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to *ICDocketMgr@ed.gov* 202-245-6604. Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD)may call the Federal Information Relay Service

(FIRS)at 1-800-877-8339. [FR Doc. E7-9553 Filed 5-17-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests AGENCY: Department of Education. SUMMARY: The IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management, invites comments on the proposed information collection requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before July 17, 2007. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that the Office of Management and Budget

(1)Type of review requested, e.g. new, revision, extension, existing or reinstatement;

(2)Title;

(3)Summary of the collection;

(4)Description of the need for, and proposed use of, the information;

(5)Respondents and frequency of collection; and

(6)Reporting and/or Recordkeeping burden. OMB invites public comment. The Department of Education is especially interested in public comment addressing the following issues:

(1)Is this collection necessary to the proper functions of the Department;

(2)will this information be processed and used in a timely manner;

(3)is the estimate of burden accurate;

(4)how might the Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(5)how might the Department minimize the burden of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of information technology. Dated: May 14, 2007. Angela C. Arrington, IC Clearance Official, Regulatory Information Management Services, Office of Management. Office of Elementary and Secondary Education *Type of Review:* Revision of a currently approved collection. *Title:* Consolidated State Performance Report (CSPR). *Frequency:* Annually. *Affected Public:* State, Local, or Tribal Gov't, SEAs or LEAs. *Reporting and Recordkeeping Hour Burden:* *Responses:* 14,652. *Burden Hours:* 26,888. *Abstract:* This information collection package contains the Consolidated State Performance Report (CSPR). It collects data that is required under section 1111 of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), which mandates the requirements for the Secretary's report to Congress and information necessary for the Secretary to report on the Department's Government Performance and Results Act

(GPRA)indicators. Requests for copies of the proposed information collection request may be accessed from *http://edicsweb.ed.gov* , by selecting the “Browse Pending Collections” link and by clicking on link number 3353. When you access the information collection, click on “Download Attachments” to view. Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20202-4700. Requests may also be electronically mailed to *ICDocketMgr@ed.gov* or faxed to 202-245-6623. Please specify the complete title of the information collection when making your request. Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity requirements should be electronically mailed to *ICDocketMgr@ed.gov.* Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD)may call the Federal Information Relay Service

(FIRS)at 1-800-877-8339. [FR Doc. E7-9554 Filed 5-17-07; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4000-01-P ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION Information Collection Activity; Focus Groups—Study of the Feasibility and Advisability of Establishing a Program of Free Return or Reduced Postage for Absentee Ballots AGENCY: U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). ACTION: Notice and request for comments. SUMMARY: The U.S. Election Assistance Commission has submitted the following information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB)for review and clearance in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The information collection was previously published in the **Federal Register** on November 14, 2006, at 71 FR 66321. The notice allowed for a 60-day public comment period. Two comments were received on this information collection during that time period, and as a result the number of focus groups was increased from three to nine. In addition, each selected group will now have one focus group from an urban, rural, and suburban location to ensure the diversity of responses and participants. The purpose of this notice is to allow an additional 30 days for public comments. Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until June 18, 2007. This process is conducted in accordance with 5 CFR 1320.10. Comments are invited on:

(a)Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility;

(b)the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection;

(c)ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(d)ways to minimize the burden of the information collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 18, 2007. ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed information collection should be sent to: OMB Review: Alexander T. Hunt, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10235, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503,

(202)395-7316. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on this proposed information collection or to obtain a copy of the proposal and associated collection instruments, please, write to the above address or call Ms. Karen Lynn-Dyson at

(202)566-3100. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: *Title:* Study of the Feasibility and Advisability of Establishing a Program of Free Return or Reduced Postage for Absentee Ballots—Focus Groups. *OMB Number:* Pending. *Type of Review:* Regular submission. *Needs and Uses:* Section 246 of the Help America Vote Act requires the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), in consultation with the United States Postal Service, to conduct a study on the feasibility and advisability of establishing a program under which the U.S. Postal Service shall waive or otherwise reduce the amount of postage applicable with respect to absentee ballots returned by voters in general elections for Federal Office. This study does not address the cost to the U.S. Postal Service for free postage for sending absentee ballots but may consider costs to election officials that are related to implementing such a program including the costs of sending absentee ballots to voters. It also does not include consideration of the 39 U.S.C. 3406 provisions for the mailing of balloting materials for military and overseas absentee voters. As part of the study the Commission is directed to conduct a nationwide survey of potential beneficiaries, including the elderly and disabled, and to take into account the results of this survey in determining the feasibility and advisability of establishing such a program. This survey will be supplemented by focus groups among potential beneficiaries—elderly, disabled, low-income—to obtain more specific information on the challenges these populations face when participating in election and to assess the potential benefit these populations might receive from a program of free return or reduced postage for absentee ballots. At the conclusion of the study effort, EAC is required to submit a report to Congress with recommendations for such legislative and administrative action as EAC determines appropriate. The report shall contain an analysis of the feasibility of implementing such a program and an estimate of the costs. It is required to specifically contain recommendations regarding the elderly and disabled populations, including ways a free absentee ballot return postage program would target these populations and identify methods to increase the number or such individuals who vote in elections for Federal office. *Affected Public:* Citizens. *Number of Respondents:* 108. *Responses per Respondent:* 1. *Estimated Burden Per Response:* 1.25 hours; focus groups will last no longer than 1.25 hours. *Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours:* 135 hours. Information will be collected through a series of nine focus groups comprised of potential beneficiaries of a free and/or discounted absentee ballot postage program. Three

(3)focus groups will be dedicated to issues confronting the elderly population, three

(3)focus groups will be dedicated to issues confronting disabled people and three

(3)focus groups will be dedicated to issues confronting the low-income citizens. An official from the United States Postal Service will observe at least one of the planned focus groups. The topics that will be explored included: 1. The challenges that the particular population faces when participating in elections. a. Information on respondents' previous experiences with voting in Federal elections. Information on any difficulties encountered in the process of voting and how the issues were resolved. 2. The concerns members of the particular population have about voting (e.g. voter intimidation, voter confidentiality, security, use of ballots). a. Information on particular incidents that has prevented respondent from being able to vote. 3. The possible remedies to those challenges that would likely increase the rates of voter participation in the population ( *e.g.* relaxed absentee voting laws, better accessibility to polling places, voter education). a. Information on respondents' interest in absentee ballot voting. 4. The likelihood that a free or discounted absentee ballot postage program would assist the particular population. a. Information on respondents' interest in a program of free or discounted postage for absentee ballots. 5. How the program could possibility by implemented to target the particular population. a. Information on creating and implementing the program to ensure that it benefits the particular population. 6. The factors that would make reaching the particular population difficult. a. Information on advertising such a program to the particular population so that they can take advantage of the change. Thomas R. Wilkey, Executive Director, U.S. Election Assistant Commission. [FR Doc. 07-2463 Filed 5-17-07; 8:45 am]

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U.S. Code

Balloting materials under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act
§ 3406

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5 CFR 1320.10

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Notices

Notice and request for comments

U.S.C.§ 3406

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