Federal Trade Commission November 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commission seeks comment on disclosures to help consumers, distributors, contractors, and installers easily determine whether a specific furnace, central air conditioner, or heat pump meets the applicable new Department of Energy efficiency standard for the regions where it will be installed. The Commission seeks comment on the content, location, and format of such disclosures. As part of this effort, the Commission staff will hold a public meeting with the Department of Energy to discuss possible disclosures.

The FTC intends to ask the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') to extend through January 31, 2015, the current Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') clearance for information the FTC would seek from a combined ten or more of the largest cigarette manufacturers and smokeless tobacco manufacturers. The current clearance expires on January 31, 2012.

The FTC intends to ask the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') to extend through November 30, 2014, the current Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') clearance for the information collection requirements in Use of Prenotification Negative Option Plans (``Negative Option Rule'' or ``Rule''). That clearance expires on November 30, 2011.

The Commission systematically reviews all its rules and guides to ensure that they continue to achieve their intended purpose without unduly burdening commerce. As part of this systematic review, the Commission requests public comment on the overall costs, benefits, necessity, and regulatory and economic impact of the FTC's Rules and Regulations pursuant to the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act. The Commission specifically requests comment on whether it should: Modify the provision addressing generic fiber names so that the reference to the international standard for manufactured fibers reflects the updated standard; clarify the provisions addressing textile products containing elastic material and ``trimmings''; address the use of multiple languages in making required disclosures; clarify disclosure requirements applicable to written advertising, including Internet advertising; clarify or revise the list of exclusions from the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act; add or clarify definitions of terms set forth in the Rules; and modify its consumer and business education materials and continue printing paper copies of these materials. In addition, the Commission seeks comment on: the benefits and costs of the requirement of the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act that, under certain circumstances, businesses use identification issued by the FTC; and the extent to which retailers obtain guarantees and continuing guarantees for textile products and whether the extent or manner of importation indicates that the guarantee provisions of the Act and Rules should be modified.