80 FR 81883 - Agency Information Collection: Collection (Requirement To Present Certain Health Information for a Service Dog

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 251 (December 31, 2015)

Page Range		81883-81883
FR Document		2015-32954

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the information needed for Veterans, Veteran Representatives and health care providers to request reimbursement from the federal government for emergency services at a private institution.

Federal Register, Volume 80 Issue 251 (Thursday, December 31, 2015)

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 251 (Thursday, December 31, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 81883]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32954]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0831]


Agency Information Collection: Collection (Requirement To Present 
Certain Health Information for a Service Dog

AGENCY: Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Department of 
Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an opportunity for public comment 
on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under 
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, Federal agencies are 
required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each 
proposed collection of information and allow 60 days for public comment 
in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments on the 
information needed for Veterans, Veteran Representatives and health 
care providers to request reimbursement from the federal government for 
emergency services at a private institution.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before February 1, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the collection of information 
through www.Regulations.gov, or to Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Attn: VA Desk Officer; 725 
17th St. NW., Washington, DC 20503 or sent through electronic mail to 
[email protected]. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-
0831'' in any correspondence.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Crystal Rennie, Enterprise Records 
Service (005R1B), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue 
NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 632-7492 or email 
[email protected]. Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0831''.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Requirement to Present Certain Health Information for a 
Service Dog under 38 CFR 1.218(a)(11)
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0831.
    Type of Review: Emergency.
    Abstract: Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 901, VA may prescribe rules to 
provide for the maintenance of law and order and the protection of 
persons and property on VA property. VA implements this authority in 
regulations at 38 CFR 1.218 pertaining to security and law enforcement. 
This final rule will amend Sec.  1.218(a)(11) to require VA facilities 
to permit service animals on VA property consistent with 40 U.S.C. 3103 
(section 3103) and Public Law 112-154, Sec.  109, 126 Stat. 1165 (2012) 
(section 109). Section 3103(a) provides that guide dogs or other 
service animals accompanying individuals with disabilities and 
especially trained for that purpose shall be admitted to any building 
or other property owned or controlled by the Federal Government on the 
same terms and conditions, and subject to the same regulations, as 
generally govern the admission of the public to the property. Section 
109 provides that VA specifically may not prohibit the use of a covered 
service dog in any VA facility, on any VA property, or in any facility 
or on any property that receives funding from VA, and further defines a 
covered service dog as a service dog that has been trained by an entity 
that is accredited by an appropriate accrediting body that evaluates 
and accredits organizations which train guide or service dogs. Current 
38 CFR 1.218(a)(11), however, reads that dogs and other animals, except 
seeing-eye dogs, shall not be brought upon property except as 
authorized by the head of the facility or designee. Our current 
regulation can be interpreted to allow the head of a VA facility or 
designee to bar access to all animals other than seeing-eye dogs, which 
is inconsistent with both section 3103(a) and section 109. We therefore 
revise our regulation to be consistent with the requirements in section 
3103(a) and section 109. The collection associated with this regulation 
revision only applies to those service dogs that would be staying on VA 
property with a Veteran for extended periods of time while that Veteran 
is being treated in a residential treatment setting. This collection is 
not associated with the basic entry of a service dog generally on VA 
property. This collection is also associated with the entry of Animal 
Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted Activity animals on VA property, 
and residential animals on VA residential units.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The Federal Register Notice with a 
60-day comment period soliciting comments on this collection of 
information was published at 80 FR 49157 on August 17, 2015.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 125 burden hours.
    Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 5 minutes.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,500.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Crystal Rennie,
Department Clearance Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2015-32954 Filed 12-30-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8320-01-P

Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 251 / Thursday, December 31, 2015 / Notices 81883

verify that courses pursued at a second ADDRESSES: Submit written comments body that evaluates and accredits
or supplemental institution will be on the collection of information through organizations which train guide or
accepted as full credit toward the www.Regulations.gov, or to Office of service dogs. Current 38 CFR
student’s course objective. Information and Regulatory Affairs, 1.218(a)(11), however, reads that dogs
Affected Public: Individuals or Office of Management and Budget, Attn: and other animals, except seeing-eye
households. VA Desk Officer; 725 17th St. NW., dogs, shall not be brought upon
Estimated Annual Burden: 1,769 Washington, DC 20503 or sent through property except as authorized by the
hours. electronic mail to oira_submission@ head of the facility or designee. Our
Estimated Average Burden per omb.eop.gov. Please refer to ‘‘OMB current regulation can be interpreted to
Respondent: 10 minutes. Control No. 2900–0831’’ in any allow the head of a VA facility or
Frequency of Response: Annually. correspondence. designee to bar access to all animals
Estimated Number of Respondents: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: other than seeing-eye dogs, which is
10,614. Crystal Rennie, Enterprise Records inconsistent with both section 3103(a)
By direction of the Secretary. Service (005R1B), Department of and section 109. We therefore revise our
Crystal Rennie, Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue regulation to be consistent with the
Department Clearance Officer, Department of NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 632– requirements in section 3103(a) and
Veterans Affairs. 7492 or email crystal.rennie@va.gov. section 109. The collection associated
[FR Doc. 2015–32955 Filed 12–30–15; 8:45 am] Please refer to ‘‘OMB Control No. 2900– with this regulation revision only
BILLING CODE 8320–01–P 0831’’. applies to those service dogs that would
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: be staying on VA property with a
Title: Requirement to Present Certain Veteran for extended periods of time
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS Health Information for a Service Dog while that Veteran is being treated in a
AFFAIRS under 38 CFR 1.218(a)(11) residential treatment setting. This
OMB Control Number: 2900–0831. collection is not associated with the
[OMB Control No. 2900–0831] Type of Review: Emergency. basic entry of a service dog generally on
Abstract: Pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 901, VA property. This collection is also
Agency Information Collection: VA may prescribe rules to provide for associated with the entry of Animal
Collection (Requirement To Present the maintenance of law and order and Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted
Certain Health Information for a the protection of persons and property Activity animals on VA property, and
Service Dog on VA property. VA implements this residential animals on VA residential
authority in regulations at 38 CFR 1.218 units.
AGENCY: Veterans Health
pertaining to security and law An agency may not conduct or
Administration, Department of Veterans enforcement. This final rule will amend
Affairs. sponsor, and a person is not required to
§ 1.218(a)(11) to require VA facilities to respond to a collection of information
ACTION: Notice. permit service animals on VA property unless it displays a currently valid OMB
consistent with 40 U.S.C. 3103 (section control number. The Federal Register
SUMMARY: The Veterans Health
3103) and Public Law 112–154, § 109, Notice with a 60-day comment period
Administration (VHA), Department of
126 Stat. 1165 (2012) (section 109). soliciting comments on this collection
Veterans Affairs (VA), is announcing an
Section 3103(a) provides that guide dogs of information was published at 80 FR
opportunity for public comment on the
or other service animals accompanying 49157 on August 17, 2015.
proposed collection of certain
individuals with disabilities and
information by the agency. Under the Affected Public: Individuals or
especially trained for that purpose shall
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of households.
be admitted to any building or other
1995, Federal agencies are required to Estimated Annual Burden: 125
property owned or controlled by the
publish notice in the Federal Register burden hours.
Federal Government on the same terms
concerning each proposed collection of Estimated Average Burden per
and conditions, and subject to the same
information and allow 60 days for regulations, as generally govern the Respondent: 5 minutes.
public comment in response to the admission of the public to the property.
notice. This notice solicits comments on Frequency of Response: Annually.
Section 109 provides that VA Estimated Number of Respondents:
the information needed for Veterans, specifically may not prohibit the use of
Veteran Representatives and health care 1,500.
a covered service dog in any VA facility,
providers to request reimbursement on any VA property, or in any facility By direction of the Secretary.
from the federal government for or on any property that receives funding Crystal Rennie,
emergency services at a private from VA, and further defines a covered Department Clearance Officer, Department of
institution. service dog as a service dog that has Veterans Affairs.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on been trained by an entity that is [FR Doc. 2015–32954 Filed 12–30–15; 8:45 am]
or before February 1, 2016. accredited by an appropriate accrediting BILLING CODE 8320–01–P
tkelley on DSK3SPTVN1PROD with NOTICES

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Document Created: 2015-12-31 02:14:58
Document Modified: 2015-12-31 02:14:58

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice.
Dates		Comments must be submitted on or before February 1, 2016.
Contact		Crystal Rennie, Enterprise Records Service (005R1B), Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, (202) 632-7492 or email [email protected] Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0831''.
FR Citation		80 FR 81883