Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Quarterly Survey of Public Pensions, 64743 [2014-25925]

Agencies

• Census Bureau
• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 211 (Friday, October 31, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Page 64743]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-25925]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Quarterly 
Survey of Public Pensions

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on 
or before December 30, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Jennifer Jessup, Departmental 
Paperwork Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th 
and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet 
at jjessup@doc.gov).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions 
should be directed to Paul W. Villena, Acting Chief, Employment and 
Benefit Statistics Branch, Governments Division, U.S. Census Bureau, 
Headquarters: 6K151, Washington, DC 20233; telephone: 301-763-7286; 
facsimile: 301-763-6833; email: paul.w.villena@census.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to request clearance for the form necessary 
to conduct the Quarterly Survey of Public Pensions. The quarterly 
survey was initiated by the Census Bureau in 1968 at the request of 
both the Council of Economic Advisers and the Federal Reserve Board.
    The Quarterly Survey of Public Pensions provides national summary 
data on the revenues, expenditures, and composition of assets of the 
largest pension systems of state and local governments. These data are 
used by the Federal Reserve Board to track the public sector portion of 
the Flow of Funds Accounts. The Bureau of Economic Analysis uses these 
data as part of the government sector projections in the Gross Domestic 
Product. Economists and public policy analysts use these data to assess 
general economic conditions and state and local government financial 
activities.
    Data are collected from a panel of defined benefit plans of the 100 
largest state and local government pension systems as determined by 
their total cash and security holdings reported in the 2012 Census of 
Governments.
    The defined benefit plans of these 100 largest pension systems 
comprise 87.2 percent of financial activity among such entities, based 
on the 2012 Census of Governments.

II. Method of Collection

    Survey data are collected through the Census Bureau's Web 
collection system that enables public entities to respond to the 
questionnaire via the Internet. The questionnaire is available online 
for respondents to print when they choose to mail or fax. Most 
respondents choose to report their data online. In addition to 
reporting current quarter data, respondents may report data for the 
previous seven quarters or submit revisions to their previously 
submitted data.
    Usable replies are received each quarter from 80 to 95 percent of 
the systems canvassed. In those instances when we are not able to 
obtain a response, we conduct follow-up operations using email and 
phone calls. Imputations are developed for each of the remaining 
nonresponse systems in the panel from the latest available data.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0143.
    Form Number(s): F-10.
    Type of Review: Regular submission.
    Affected Public: State and locally-administered public pension 
plans.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 100.
    Estimated Time per Response: 45 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 300.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Section 182.

IV. Request for Comments

    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 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: October 28, 2014.
Glenna Mickelson,
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-25925 Filed 10-30-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P