82 FR 14277 - Agency Information Collection Activity: Approval of Licensing or Certification Test and Organization or Entity

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 51 (March 17, 2017)

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), 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, including each proposed reinstatement of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. SAAs and VA will use the information to decide whether the licensing and certification tests, and the organizations offering them, should be approved for use under the education programs VA administers. VA did not develop an official form for this information collection since section 3689 of title 38, United States Code permitted VA to delegate the approval functions to the State Approving Agencies; and from the inception of this information collection, VA has given the State Approving Agencies the authority to approve licensing and certification tests and organizations. Consequently, the State Approving Agencies have developed their own forms to gather information they will need per their respective state laws to decide whether the licensing and certification tests and the organizations offering them should be approved. In the case of an organization seeking approval directly from VA, any information VA receives concerning the request for approval is forwarded directly to the appropriate State Approving Agency. Since SAAs have approval authority, education institutions and licensing and certification organizations supply information to the SAAs for approval in a manner specified by the SAA.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 51 (Friday, March 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14277-14278]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-05384]


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DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

[OMB Control No. 2900-0697]


Agency Information Collection Activity: Approval of Licensing or 
Certification Test and Organization or Entity

AGENCY: Veterans Benefits Administration, Department of Veterans 
Affairs.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), 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, including each proposed 
reinstatement of a currently approved collection, and allow 60 days for 
public comment in response to the notice.
    SAAs and VA will use the information to decide whether the 
licensing and certification tests, and the organizations offering them, 
should be approved for use under the education programs VA administers. 
VA did not develop an official form for this information collection 
since section 3689 of title 38, United States Code permitted VA to 
delegate the approval functions to the State Approving Agencies; and 
from the inception of this information collection, VA has given the 
State Approving Agencies the authority to approve licensing and 
certification tests and organizations. Consequently, the State 
Approving Agencies have developed their own forms to gather information 
they will need per their respective state laws to decide whether the 
licensing and certification tests and the organizations offering them 
should be approved. In the case of an organization seeking approval 
directly from VA, any information VA receives concerning the request 
for approval is forwarded directly to the appropriate State Approving 
Agency. Since SAAs have approval authority, education institutions and 
licensing and certification organizations supply information to the 
SAAs for approval in a manner specified by the SAA.

DATES: Written comments and recommendations on the proposed collection 
of information should be received on or before MAY 16, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on the collection of information 
through Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) at www.Regulations.gov 
or to Nancy J. Kessinger, Veterans Benefits Administration (20M33), 
Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW., Washington, DC 
20420 or email to [email protected]. Please refer to ``OMB Control 
No. 2900-0697'' in any correspondence. During the comment period, 
comments may be viewed online through the FDMS.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy J. Kessinger at (202) 632-8924 
or FAX (202) 632-8925.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13; 44 
U.S.C. 3501-21), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they 
conduct or sponsor. This request for comment is being made pursuant to 
Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA.
    With respect to the following collection of information, VBA 
invites comments on: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of VBA's functions, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy 
of VBA's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of 
the collection of information on respondents, including through the use 
of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of 
information technology.
    Title: Approval of Licensing or Certification Test and Organization 
or Entity.
    OMB Control Number: 2900-0697.
    Type of Review: Reinstatement with change of a currently approved 
collection.
    Abstract: SAAs and VA will use the information to decide whether 
the licensing and certification tests, and the organizations offering 
them, should be approved for use under the education programs VA 
administers.
    Affected Public: Private Sector.
    Estimated Annual Burden: 817 hours.

[[Page 14278]]

    Estimated Average Burden per Respondent: 3 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annually.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2451.

    By direction of the Secretary.
Cynthia Harvey-Pryor,
Department Clearance Officer, Office of Privacy and Records Management, 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-05384 Filed 3-16-17; 8:45 am]
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