Department of Health and Human Services June 26, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This final rule removes the vaccine and testing requirements included in the Interim Final Rule with Comment Period (IFC) titled, ``Vaccine and Mask Requirements To Mitigate the Spread of COVID-19 in Head Start Programs,'' which the Administration for Children and Families published on November 30, 2021. Specifically, this rescission removes the requirement from the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) that all Head Start staff, contractors whose activities involve contact with or providing direct services to children and families, and volunteers working in classrooms or directly with children are fully vaccinated for COVID-19. The associated HSPPS requirement that staff who are exempt from the vaccination requirement have ``at least weekly'' COVID-19 testing is also removed.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is announcing an opportunity for the public to comment on CMS' intention to collect information from the public. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (the PRA), federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information (including each proposed extension or reinstatement of an existing collection of information) and to allow 60 days for public comment on the proposed action. Interested persons are invited to send comments regarding our burden estimates or any other aspect of this collection of information, including the necessity and utility of the proposed information collection for the proper performance of the agency's functions, the accuracy of the estimated burden, ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected, and the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology to minimize the information collection burden.