Rulemaking on Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Health and Human Services Programs or Activities
New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)
No
Regular
09/21/2023
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
453,084
0
256,748
0
0
0
This Information Collection Request is for a new collection of information as proposed in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) entitled Rulemaking on Discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Health and Human Services Programs or Activities (RIN: 0945-AA15). Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), 29 U.S.C. § 794, provides that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in section 705(20) of this title, shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance or under any program or activity conducted by any Executive agency or by the United States Postal Service. The Department is seeking PRA approval for the notice requirement at § 84.8, which is a covered third-party disclosure requirement.
US Code:
29 USC 794
Name of Law: Rehabilitation Act, Section 504
The NPRM proposes requiring each recipient to provide a notice of nondiscrimination to employees, applicants, participants, beneficiaries, and other interested persons. The NPRM requires the notice to be made available in such manner as the head of the recipient or his or her designee finds necessary to apprise such interested persons of the protections against discrimination assured them by Section 504.
This requirement helps clearly inform individuals of their civil rights under Section 504 while also providing recipients with necessary flexibility for how they will provide the notice.
The Department believes this proposed requirement will help to reduce barriers to access for individuals with disabilities while providing certainty to recipients and consumers about what recipientsâ obligations are and what rights consumers have.
The Department notes that this proposed notice requirement contains fewer specific steps that the notice requirement in the existing Section 504 Regulation at 45 CFR 84.8, while extending to more smaller recipients with less than fifteen employees. We believe that advancements in technology, such as the use of websites by recipients, will lower the notice costs for recipients and limit burdens.
Additionally, this notice requirement is almost exactly the same as the requirement under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act at 28 CFR 35.106, and some covered entities under Title II are also recipients under Section 504.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.