SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

TSA published a Federal Register notice soliciting comments for a 60-day period on May 5, 2026, 91 FR 24595. TSA did not receive any comments on the notice.

Comments Invited

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The ICR documentation will be available at www.reginfo.gov upon its submission to OMB. Therefore, in preparation for OMB review and approval of the following information collection, TSA is soliciting comments to—

(1) Evaluate whether the proposed information requirement is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information will have practical utility;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including using appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Information Collection Requirement

Title: Security Threat Assessment for Individuals Applying for a Hazardous Materials Endorsement for a Commercial Driver's License.

Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.

OMB Control Number: 1652-0027.

Forms(s): Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) Threat Assessment Program Disclosure and Certification Form, HME Pre-Enrollment Application, HME Enrollment Application, and HME Customer Satisfaction Survey

Affected Public: Drivers seeking an HME on their state-issued Commercial Driver's License (CDL).

Abstract: This collection supports the implementation of sec. 1012 of the USA PATRIOT Act,^[1] which mandates that no state or the District of Columbia may issue an HME on a CDL unless TSA has first determined the driver is not a threat to transportation security. TSA's implementing regulations (codified at 49 CFR part 1572) describe the procedures, standards, and eligibility criteria for STAs on individuals seeking to obtain, renew, or transfer an HME on a state-issued CDL. To conduct the STA for the HME, states (or a TSA-designated agent in states that elect to have TSA perform the collection of information) must collect certain biographic and biometric information. The HME must be renewed every 5 years. The driver is required to submit an application that includes personal information including driver's legal name; current and previous mailing addresses; date of birth; sex; height, weight, eye, and hair color; city, state, and country of birth; social security number (optional); immigration status; mental incapacity; criminal history; and biometrics, such as fingerprints.

States or the TSA agent must also submit whether the driver is a new applicant or applying to renew or transfer the HME. This information is necessary for TSA to forecast driver retention, transfer rate, and drop rate to help improve customer service and reduce program costs. This information also may be necessary to provide comparability with other federal background checks, including the Transportation Worker Identification Credential.

When the STA is complete, TSA makes a final determination of eligibility for the HME and notifies states of its decision and may provide notifications to the HME applicants of its decision. Most states and applicants will receive notification from TSA within 2 to 3 weeks of the submission of their completed applications. If TSA identifies potentially disqualifying information, it will send a Preliminary Determination of Ineligibility letter to the HME applicant with instructions on how to proceed. If initially deemed ineligible by TSA, applicants will have an opportunity to apply for an appeal or waiver. Applicants must submit a request for an appeal or waiver within 60 days of issuance of the Preliminary Determination of Ineligibility. If a request for an appeal or waiver is not received by TSA within the specified amount of time, the agency may make a final determination to deny eligibility.

In 2023, OIRA approved three changes to the program: (1) online renewal capability; (2) enrollment in Rap Back; and (3) expanding enrollment options by offering applicants the ability to enroll in multiple programs with one application at the same time. See ICR-202112-1652-003. TSA is in the process of implementing these changes.

Finally, TSA invites all HME applicants who enroll using TSA's enrollment provider to complete an ( printed page 53890) optional survey to gather information on the applicant's overall customer satisfaction with the enrollment process. This optional survey is administered at the conclusion of the enrollment process, including the new online renewals, where applicable. The results from these surveys are compiled to produce reports that are reviewed by the enrollment services provider and TSA.

Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 238,520.

Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 256,416.

Estimated Annual Cost: $9.8 million.

91 FR 53889