Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment Request; State and Local Government Finance Collections, and Public Employment and Payroll Collections, 7247-7248 [2021-01287]

Agencies

• Census Bureau
• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7247-7248]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-01287]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Census Bureau


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; State and Local Government Finance Collections, and Public 
Employment and Payroll Collections

AGENCY: U.S. Census Bureau, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of information collection, request for comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on proposed, and continuing information 
collections, which helps us assess the impact of our information 
collection requirements and minimize the public's reporting burden. The 
purpose of this notice is to allow for 60 days of public comment on the 
proposed revisions to the State and Local Government Finance 
Collections, and Public Employment and Payroll Collections, prior to 
the submission of the information collection request (ICR) to OMB for 
approval.

DATES: To ensure consideration, comments regarding this proposed 
information collection must be received on or before March 29, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Interested persons are invited to submit written comments by 
email to [email protected]. Please reference State and Local 
Government Finance Collections, and Public Employment and Payroll 
Collections in the subject line of your comments. You may also submit 
comments, identified by Docket Number USBC-2020-0034, to the Federal e-
Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. All comments received 
are part of the public record. No comments will be posted to https://www.regulations.gov for public viewing until after the comment period 
has closed. Comments will generally be posted without change. All 
Personally Identifiable Information (for example, name and address) 
voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do 
not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or 
protected information. You may submit attachments to electronic 
comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
specific questions related to collection activities should be directed 
to Raemeka Mayo, Assistant Division Chief, Economy-Wide Statistics 
Division, U.S. Census Bureau, Room 5K179, 4600 Silver Hill Road, 
Washington, DC 20233; phone (301) 763-4688; or by email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau plans to revise the Annual Survey of State Tax 
Collections (F-5). This survey is collected as part of the larger State 
and Local Government Finance Collections, and Public Employment and 
Payroll Collections. We plan to add the collection of cannabis sales 
and license taxes, and sports betting sales taxes to the Annual Survey 
of State Tax Collections. Sports betting will include pari-mutuels, 
which were previously shown separately. This will modernize the 
survey's content to maintain the relevancy and sustainability of these 
data. Additionally, cognitive testing showed the addition and removal 
of questions did not impact overall response time.
    The data are released as part of the State and Local Government 
Finance and Public Employment & Payroll statistical series. The 
collections also produce individual data products that focus on state 
governments, local governments, and public pensions in greater detail 
than the combined financial and employment series as a by-product of 
their collections for the combined data series. The Census Bureau 
provides these data to the Bureau of Economic Analysis to develop the 
public sector components of the National Income and Product Accounts 
and for constructing the functional payrolls in the public sector of 
the Gross Domestic Product, payroll being the single largest component 
of current operations. The Census Bureau also provides these data to 
the Federal Reserve Board for use in the Flow of Funds Accounts. Other 
Federal agencies

[[Page 7248]]

that make use of the data include the Council of Economic Advisers, the 
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Government 
Accountability Office, and the Department of Justice. State and local 
governments and related organizations, public policy groups, public 
interest groups, private research organizations, and private sector 
businesses also use these data.

II. Method of Collection

    These surveys use multiple modes for data collection including 
internet collection with a mailed invitation, telephone, and central 
collection. Other methods used to collect data and maximize response 
include collecting state and local government data through submitted 
financial audits, state financial reports, and comprehensive financial 
reports and via electronic or mailed files and/or records.
    The Census Bureau developed central collection agreements with 
state and large local government officials to collect the data from 
their dependent agencies and report to the Census Bureau as a central 
respondent. These arrangements eliminate the need for a mail invitation 
for approximately 5,500 governmental units, approximately 3,716 state 
agencies and 158 school systems in a sample year and 36,000 during the 
year of the Census of Governments. The arrangements reduce burden by 
greatly decreasing the number of respondents who must complete an on-
line form as the data are acquired from a centralized source instead of 
multiple sources. Currently, the Census Bureau has central collection 
arrangements to collect local government data with 27 states, four 
local school district governments and state government data from all 50 
states. The Census Bureau continues to expand the conversion of paper 
submissions into electronic formats by collaborating with state and 
local governments regarding electronic reporting of central collection 
data and encouraging electronic responses from individual governments.

III. Data

    OMB Control Number: 0607-0585.
    Form Number(s): F-5, F-11, F-12, F-13, F-28, F-29, F-32, E-1, E-2, 
E-3, E-4, E-5, E-6, E-7, E-8, E-9, E-10.
    Type of Review: Regular submission, Request for a Revision of a 
Currently Approved Collection.
    Affected Public: State and local governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: For F-forms: 13,440, For E-forms: 
16,872/sample year; For F-forms 59,259 For E-forms: 99,402/census year; 
Total: 30,312/sample year, 158,661/census year.
    Estimated Time per Response: For F-forms: 3.03, For E-forms: .84 
hours/sample year; For F-forms 3.00, For E-forms: .82 hours/census 
year; Total: 3.87 hours/sample year, 3.82 hours/census year.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: For F-forms: 40,755, For E-
forms: 14,164 hours/sample year; For F-forms: 177,826 hours, For E-
forms: 81,299 hours/census year; Total: 54,919/sample year, 258,585/
census year.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0. (This is not the cost of 
respondents' time, but the indirect costs respondents may incur for 
such things as purchases of specialized software or hardware needed to 
report, or expenditures for accounting or records maintenance services 
required specifically by the collection.)
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Sections 161 and 182.

IV. Request for Comments

    We are soliciting public comments to permit the Department/Bureau 
to: (a) Evaluate whether the proposed information collection is 
necessary for the proper functions of the Department, including whether 
the information will have practical utility; (b) Evaluate the accuracy 
of our estimate of the time and cost burden for this proposed 
collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (c) Evaluate ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (d) Minimize the reporting burden 
on those who are to respond, including the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology.
    Comments that you submit in response to this notice are a matter of 
public record. We will include, or summarize, each comment in our 
request to OMB to approve this ICR. Before including your address, 
phone number, email address, or other personal identifying information 
in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment--
including your personal identifying information--may be made publicly 
available at any time. While you may ask us in your comment to withhold 
your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot 
guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Sheleen Dumas,
Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information 
Officer, Commerce Department.
[FR Doc. 2021-01287 Filed 1-26-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P