Agency Information Collection Activities: Information Collection Renewal; Comment Request; Assessments

AGENCY:

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comment.

SUMMARY:

The OCC, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).

Under the PRA, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice.

In accordance with the requirements of the PRA, the OCC may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

The OCC is soliciting comment concerning the renewal of its information collection titled, “Assessment of Fees—12 CFR 8.”

DATES:

You should submit written comments by November 25, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

Because paper mail in the Washington, DC area and at the OCC is subject to delay, commenters are encouraged to submit comments by email if possible. Comments may be sent to: Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Attention: 1557-0223, 400 7th Street SW., Suite 3E-218, Mail Stop 9W-11, Washington, DC 20219. In addition, comments may be sent by fax to (571) 465-4326 or by electronic mail to regs.comments@occ.treas.gov. You may personally inspect and photocopy comments at the OCC, 400 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20219. For security reasons, the OCC requires that visitors make an appointment to inspect comments. You may do so by calling (202) 649-6700. Upon arrival, visitors will be required to present valid government-issued photo identification and to submit to security screening in order to inspect and photocopy comments.

All comments received, including attachments and other supporting materials, are part of the public record and subject to public disclosure. Do not enclose any information in your comment or supporting materials that you consider confidential or inappropriate for public disclosure.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

You can request additional information of the collection from Johnny Vilela or Mary H. Gottlieb, OCC Clearance Officers, (202) 649-5490, Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 400 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), Federal agencies must obtain approval from the OMB for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) to include agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)) requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. To comply with this requirement, the OCC is publishing notice of the proposed collection of information set forth in this document.

The OCC is proposing to extend OMB approval of the following information collection:

Title: Assessment of Fees—12 CFR 8.

OMB Control No.: 1557-0223.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.

Type of Review: Regular review.

Abstract: The OCC is requesting comment on its proposed extension, without change, of the information collection titled, “Assessment of Fees—12 CFR 8.” The OCC is authorized to collect assessments, fees, and other charges as necessary or appropriate to carry out the responsibilities of the OCC by the National Bank Act (for national banks) and the Home Owners Loan Act (for Federal savings associations). The OCC requires independent credit card banks and independent credit card Federal savings associations to pay an additional assessment based on receivables attributable to accounts owned by the bank or Federal savings association. Independent credit card banks and independent credit card Federal savings associations are national banks or Federal savings associations that primarily engage in credit card operations and are not affiliated with a full service national bank or Federal savings association. The OCC will require independent credit card banks and independent credit card Federal savings associations to provide the OCC with “receivables attributable” data. “Receivables attributable” refers to the total amount of outstanding balances due on credit card accounts owned by an independent credit card bank (the receivables attributable to those accounts) on the last day of an assessment period, minus receivables retained on the bank or Federal savings association's balance sheet as of that day. The OCC will use the information to verify the accuracy of each bank and Federal savings association's assessment computation and to adjust the assessment rate for independent credit card banks and independent credit card Federal savings associations over time.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 9.

Estimated Number of Responses: 18.

Frequency of Response: Semiannually.

Estimated Time per Response: 1 hour.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 18 hours.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on:

(a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the OCC, including whether the information has practical utility;

(b) The accuracy of the OCC's estimate of the information collection burden;

(c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and

(e) Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.