Agencies and Commissions August 28, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

Texas has scheduled special elections on November 7, 2006, based upon an opinion and order by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division, in League of United Latin American Citizens, et. al. v. Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, et. al., which redrew the boundaries, invalidated the results of the primary and runoff elections, and ordered new elections in five of the thirty-two U.S. Congressional Districts of Texas. The districts affected are: 15, 21, 23, 25 and 28. There are two possible elections, but only one may be necessary. The majority winner of the special election in each district is declared elected. Should no candidate achieve a majority vote, the Secretary of State will then order and set the date for a Special Runoff Election that will include only the top two vote-getters. All runoff elections will be held on the same date. Committees participating in the Texas special elections are required to file pre- and post-election reports.

Title VI of the Civil Service Reform Act, now codified in 5 U.S.C. 4703, authorizes the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to conduct demonstration projects that experiment with new and different human resources management concepts to determine whether changes in policies and procedures result in improved Federal human resources management. OPM approved a demonstration project covering several operating units of the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC). OPM has authority to implement new legislation affecting demonstration projects (5 U.S.C. 4703 and 5 CFR 470.101(b) and 470.103). Modifications to the demonstration project plan also require OPM approval (5 CFR 470.315). As provided for in title II of Public Law 109-108, Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006, signed November 22, 2005, this notice expands the coverage of the DOC Demonstration Project to include up to 3,500 additional employees in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) increasing the total number of employees in NOAA to 6,925, as well as additional NOAA organizations and locations. This expansion results in the total number of employees covered by the DOC Demonstration Project to 8,500 individuals. This notice also serves to make changes to the plan to accommodate the expansion. These changes include the addition of specific occupational series, Departmental Personnel Management Board composition, and pre-project cost formulas for the NOAA organizations new to the demonstration project as part of the expansion.