Federal Trade Commission 2019 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis of Agreement Containing Consent Orders to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the complaint and the terms of the consent ordersembodied 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. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the complaint and the terms of the consent order embodied 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. The attached Analysis to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the complaint and the terms of the consent order embodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The FTC requests that the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') extend for an additional three years the current Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') clearance for information collection requirements in its regulation ``Duties of Furnishers of Information to Consumer Reporting Agencies'' (``Information Furnishers Rule''), which applies to certain motor vehicle dealers, and its shared enforcement with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (``CFPB'') of the furnisher provisions (subpart E) of the CFPB's Regulation V regarding other entities. The existing clearance expires on June 30, 2016.

As part of its regulatory review of the Contact Lens Rule (``Rule''), the Commission is proposing modifications to its prior proposal to amend the Rule to require that prescribers obtain a signed acknowledgment after releasing a contact lens prescription and maintain each such acknowledgment for a period of not less than three years. The Commission is further proposing to amend the Rule to: Permit prescribers to comply with automatic prescription release via electronic delivery in certain circumstances; specify a time-period for prescribers to respond to requests for prescriptions; clarify and institute additional requirements for automated telephone verification messages; more precisely delineate what constitutes unlawful alteration of a prescription; and require that sellers accept patient prescription presentation. The Commission seeks comment on these proposals. The Commission is not adopting any final amendments to the Rule at this time and continues to consider comments and information submitted in response to its Request for Comment of September 2015, its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking of December 2016, and its Notice Announcing Public Workshop and Request for Comment of December 2017.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') is rescinding several Model Forms and Disclosures promulgated pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act (``FCRA'') that it has determined are no longer necessary. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act transferred rulemaking authority associated with these forms and disclosures to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (``Bureau'' or ``CFPB''). Given the CFPB's 2018 updates to its model forms and disclosures, the Commission has determined that rescinding several of its model forms and disclosures would reduce confusion. The Commission is also making conforming amendments to address references to the updated model forms and disclosures in related rules.

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

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') has completed its review of the Guides for the Nursery Industry (``Nursery Guides'' or ``Guides'') as part of its systematic review of all current Commission regulations and guides. Pursuant to that review, the Commission now rescinds the Guides.

As part of its ongoing, systematic review of all Federal Trade Commission rules and guides, the Commission announces a modified ten- year regulatory review schedule. No Commission determination on the need for, or the substance of, the rules and guides listed below should be inferred from this notice.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') has completed its regulatory review of the Trade Regulation Rule Concerning Preservation of Consumers' Claims and Defenses (``Holder Rule'' or ``Rule'') as part of the agency's regular review of all its regulations and guides, and has determined to retain the Rule in its present form.

The FTC is making technical revisions to several of the notices that it has published under the Privacy Act of 1974 to describe its systems of records. This action is intended to make these notices clearer, more accurate, and up-to-date.

The consent agreement in this matter settles alleged violations of federal law prohibiting unfair methods of competition. The attached Analysis of Agreement Containing Consent Orders to Aid Public Comment describes both the allegations in the complaint and the terms of the consent ordersembodied in the consent agreementthat would settle these allegations.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') has completed its regulatory review of its rule implementing the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act (``CAN-SPAM Rule'' or ``Rule'') as part of the agency's periodic review of all its regulations and guides, and has determined to retain the Rule in its present form.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') requests public comment on its proposal to amend the Standards for Safeguarding Customer Information (``Safeguards Rule'' or ``Rule''). The proposal contains five main modifications to the existing Rule. First, it adds provisions designed to provide covered financial institutions with more guidance on how to develop and implement specific aspects of an overall information security program. Second, it adds provisions designed to improve the accountability of financial institutions' information security programs. Third, it exempts small businesses from certain requirements. Fourth, it expands the definition of ``financial institution'' to include entities engaged in activities that the Federal Reserve Board determines to be incidental to financial activities. Finally, the Commission proposes to include the definition of ``financial institution'' and related examples in the Rule itself rather than cross-reference them from a related FTC rule, the Privacy of Consumer Financial Information Rule.

The FTC plans to ask the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') to extend for an additional three years the current Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') clearance for information collection requirements contained in the Mail, internet, or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule (MITOR). That clearance expires on May 31, 2019.

The Federal Trade Commission (``FTC'' or ``Commission'') is requesting public comment on its Trade Regulation Rule entitled ``Disclosure Requirements and Prohibitions Concerning Franchising'' (``Franchise Rule'' or ``Rule''). The Rule makes it an unfair or deceptive act or practice for franchisors to fail to give prospective franchisees a Franchise Disclosure Document providing specified information about the franchisor, the franchise business, and the terms of the franchise agreement. The Rule also prohibits related misrepresentations by franchise sellers. The Commission is soliciting comments about the efficiency, costs, benefits, and regulatory impact of the Rule as part of its systematic review of all current Commission regulations and guides. All interested persons are hereby given notice of the opportunity to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the Rule.

The Federal Trade Commission announces the revised thresholds for interlocking directorates required by the 1990 amendment of Section 8 of the Clayton Act. Section 8 prohibits, with certain exceptions, one person from serving as a director or officer of two competing corporations if two thresholds are met. Competitor corporations are covered by Section 8 if each one has capital, surplus, and undivided profits aggregating more than $10,000,000, with the exception that no corporation is covered if the competitive sales of either corporation are less than $1,000,000. Section 8(a)(5) requires the Federal Trade Commission to revise those thresholds annually, based on the change in gross national product. The new thresholds, which take effect immediately, are $36,564,000 for Section 8(a)(1), and $3,656,400 for Section 8(a)(2)(A).

The FTC requests that the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB'') extend for an additional three years the current Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA'') clearance for the information collection requirements in its Alternative Fuels Rule (``Rule''). That clearance expires on May 31, 2019.

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 seeks public comment on its proposal to extend, for three years, the current PRA clearance for information collection requirements contained in the Health Breach Notification Rule. That clearance expires on March 31, 2019.