Federal Trade Commission – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The information collection requirements described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA''). The FTC is seeking public comments on its proposal to extend through May 31, 2012, the current PRA clearance for information collection requirements contained in its Telemarketing Sales Rule (``TSR'' or ``Rule''). On November 26, 2008, OMB granted the FTC's request for a short-term extension of this clearance to May 31, 2009, which focused on recent amendments to the Rule.

Section 325 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 provides the Commission with authority to promulgate energy labeling rules for consumer electronics, including televisions. The Commission is seeking comment on whether it should require labels for televisions and other consumer electronic products.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Improvement Act of 1991 (FDICIA) directs the Commission to prescribe the manner and content of certain mandatory disclosures for depository institutions that lack federal deposit insurance. On March 16, 2005, the Commission published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on disclosure rules for such institutions. Subsequently, Congress passed the Financial Services Regulatory Relief Act of 2006 (FSRRA), which amended FDICIA's requirements. To ensure that the FTC's requirements are consistent with the FSRRA amendments, the Commission is seeking comment on conforming changes to the proposed Rule.

As part of the Commission's systematic review of all current FTC rules and guides, the Commission requests public comment on the overall costs, benefits, necessity, and regulatory and economic impact of the FTC's rule for ``Automotive Fuel Ratings, Certification and Posting'' (``Fuel Rating Rule'' or ``Rule'').

The FTC plans to conduct a consumer study to evaluate alternatives to the current disclosures required for most consumer lamp (i.e., light bulb) products. The Commission is examining the effectiveness of current light bulb package labeling as directed by Congress. Before conducting this study, the FTC is seeking public comments on the proposed study pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'').

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') is extending until March 2, 2009 the deadline for filing comments on its proposed revisions to the Federal Trade Commission's Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (``the Guides'').

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The Federal Trade Commission announces the revised thresholds for the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 required by the 2000 amendment of Section 7A of the Clayton Act. Section 7A of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. 18a, as added by the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, Pub. L. 94-435, 90 Stat. 1390 (``the Act''), requires all persons contemplating certain mergers or acquisitions, which meet or exceed the jurisdictional thresholds in the Act, to file notification with the Commission and the Assistant Attorney General and to wait a designated period of time before consummating such transactions. Section 7A(a)(2) requires the Federal Trade Commission to revise those thresholds annually, based on the change in gross national product, in accordance with Section 8(a)(5). The new thresholds, which take effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register, are as follows:

The FTC is seeking public comments on its proposal to extend through February 28, 2012, the current Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') clearance for information collection requirements contained in its regulations under the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act (``FPLA''). That clearance expires on February 28, 2009.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair or deceptive acts or practices or unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the draft complaint and the terms of the consent orderembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The information collection requirements described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA''). The FTC is seeking public comments on its proposal to extend through April 30, 2012 the current PRA clearance for information collection requirements contained in the Pay-Per-Call Rule (``Rule''). That clearance expires on April 30, 2009.

The Federal Trade Commission announces that the ceiling on allowable charges under Section 612(f) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (``FCRA'') will increase from $10.50 to $11.00 effective January 1, 2009. Under 1996 amendments to the FCRA, the Federal Trade Commission is required to increase the $8.00 amount referred to in paragraph (1)(A)(i) of Section 612(f) on January 1 of each year, based proportionally on changes in the Consumer Price Index (``CPI''), with fractional changes rounded to the nearest fifty cents. The CPI increased 35.72 percent between September 1997, the date the FCRA amendments took effect, and September 2008. This increase in the CPI and the requirement that any increase be rounded to the nearest fifty cents results in an increase in the maximum allowable charge to $11.00 effective January 1, 2009.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') has rescinded its 1966 guidance providing that it is generally not a violation of the FTC Act to make factual statements of the tar and nicotine yields of cigarettes when statements of such yields are supported by testing conducted pursuant to the Cambridge Filter Method, also frequently referred to as ``the FTC Method.'' In addition, advertisers should not use terms such as ``per FTC Method'' or other phrases that state or imply FTC endorsement or approval of the Cambridge Filter Method or other machine-based test methods.

The FTC plans to conduct a consumer study to research alternatives to existing lamp (i.e., light bulb) labeling requirements. This study is part of the Commission's rulemaking proceeding to examine the effectiveness of current light bulb package labeling as directed by Congress. Before conducting this research, the FTC is seeking public comments on the proposed study as part of its compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'').

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') is seeking public comment on proposed revisions to its Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (``the Guides'').

The information collection requirements described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA''). The FTC is seeking public comments on its proposal to extend through March 31, 2012 the current PRA clearances for information collection requirements contained in four consumer financial regulations promulgated by the Federal Reserve Board and enforced by the Commission. Those clearances expire on March 31, 2009.

The information collection requirements described below will be submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') for review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA''). The FTC is seeking public comments on its proposal to extend through January 31, 2012, the current PRA clearance for information sought through compulsory process orders to a combined ten or more of the largest cigarette manufacturers and smokeless tobacco manufacturers in order to obtain from them information including, among other things, their sales and marketing expenditures. The current clearance expires on January 31, 2009.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') will hold a series of public Workshop sessions at one or more locations to explore how best to distinguish between uses of resale price maintenance (RPM)\1\ that benefit consumers and those that do not, for purposes of enforcing Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1, and Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 45 (hereinafter ``Sections 1 and 5''). Among other things, the Workshops will examine when and whether particular market facts or conditions make it more or less likely that the use of RPM will be procompetitive or neutral, and when or whether RPM may harm competition and consumers.