Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION:

Notice, request for comment.

SUMMARY:

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board) invites comment on a proposal to extend for three years, without revision, the Notice of Proposed Declaration of Dividend (FR 1583; OMB No. 7100-0339).

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before March 29, 2022.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by FR 1583, by any of the following methods:

• Agency Website: https://www.federalreserve.gov/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments at https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx.

• Email: regs.comments@federalreserve.gov. Include the OMB number or FR number in the subject line of the message.

• Fax: (202) 452-3819 or (202) 452-3102.

• Mail: Ann E. Misback, Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20551.

All public comments are available from the Board's website at https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/foia/proposedregs.aspx as submitted, unless modified for technical reasons or to remove personally identifiable information at the commenter's request. Accordingly, comments will not be edited to remove any confidential business information, identifying information, or contact information. Public comments may also be viewed electronically or in paper in Room M-4365A, 2001 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20006, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays. For security reasons, the Board requires that visitors make an appointment to inspect comments. You may do so by calling (202) 452-3684. 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.

Additionally, commenters may send a copy of their comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Desk Officer for the Federal Reserve Board, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503, or by fax to (202) 395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Federal Reserve Board Clearance Officer—Nuha Elmaghrabi—Office of the Chief Data Officer, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington, DC 20551, (202) 452-3829.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

On June 15, 1984, OMB delegated to the Board authority under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) to approve and assign OMB control numbers to collections of information conducted or sponsored by the Board. In exercising this delegated authority, the Board is directed to take every reasonable step to solicit comment. In determining whether to approve a collection of information, the Board will consider all comments received from the public and other agencies.

During the comment period for this proposal, a copy of the proposed PRA OMB submission, including the draft reporting form and instructions, supporting statement, and other documentation, will be made available on the Board's public website at https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/reportforms/review.aspx or may be requested from the agency clearance officer, whose name appears above. Final versions of these documents will be made available at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain,, if approved.

Request for Comment on Information Collection Proposal

The Board invites public comment on the following information collection, which is being reviewed under authority delegated by the OMB under the PRA. Comments are invited on the following:

a. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the Board's functions, including whether the information has practical utility;

b. The accuracy of the Board's estimate of the burden of the proposed information collection, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

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

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

e. Estimates of capital or startup costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

At the end of the comment period, the comments and recommendations received will be analyzed to determine the extent to which the Board should modify the proposal.

Proposal under OMB Delegated Authority to Extend for Three Years, Without Revision, the Following Information Collection:

Report title: Notice of Proposed Declaration of Dividend.

Agency form number: FR 1583.

OMB control number: 7100-0339.

Frequency: Event-generated.

Respondents: Savings association subsidiaries of savings and loan holding companies (SLHCs).

Estimated number of respondents: 180.

Estimated average hours per response: 0.25.

Estimated annual burden hours: 90.

General description of report: A savings association subsidiary of an SLHC must provide prior notice of the proposed declaration of a dividend by filing form FR 1583, whether electronically or by hard copy, with the appropriate Reserve Bank. The FR 1583 requires information regarding the date of the filing and the nature and amount of the proposed dividend, as well as the names and signatures of the executive officer and secretary of the savings association that is providing the notice. The FR 1583 notice may include a schedule proposing dividends over a period specified by the notificant, not to exceed 12 months.

Legal authorization and confidentiality: The FR 1583 is authorized by Section 10(f) of the Home Owners' Loan Act (HOLA). Section 10(f) of HOLA provides that every subsidiary savings association of an SLHC shall give the Board at least 30 days' advance notice of the proposed declaration by its directors of any dividend on its guaranty, permanent, or other nonwithdrawable stock. Additionally, Section 10(b) of HOLA authorizes the Board to require SLHCs to file “such reports as may be required by the Board.” The FR 1583 is mandatory.

Individual respondents may request that information submitted on the FR 1583 be kept confidential on a case-by-case basis. If such a request is made, the Board will determine whether the information is entitled to confidential treatment. Requests filed pursuant to the FR 1583 may include information related to the SLHC's business operations, such as terms and sources of the funding for dividends and pro forma balance sheets. To the extent that this information constitutes nonpublic commercial or financial information, which is both customarily and actually treated as private by the respondent, it may be kept confidential under exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act, which exempts “trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential.”