DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of the Census
Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal
Questions on Race and Hispanic Origin
ACTION: Proposed Collection; comment request.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 15, 1997.
ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or copies of the information collection instrument(s) and instructions should be directed to John H. Thompson, Associate Director for Decennial Census, Bureau of the Census, Room 3586, Federal Building 3, Washington, DC 20233-0001, telephone (301) 457-3946.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Abstract
This pre-submission Federal Register notice complements the pre-submission notice on "Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal" that was published in the Federal Register on Friday, May 23,1997 (Vol.62, No. 100, pp. 28443-28444). That earlier notice was intended to solicit public comment on the proposed dress rehearsal plan and the questions to be included on the information collection instrument(s), except the questions on race and Hispanic origin, as these questions had not been sufficiently developed at that time. The information collection instrument(s) referenced in the May 23, 1997 notice included the following note concerning questions 5 and 6:
These questions will ask for information on race and Hispanic origin and possibly ancestry. These specific questions, including the order in which they are asked, will depend partly on the Office of Management and Budget's (OMB) review of Directive No. 15, "Race and Ethnic Standards for Federal Statistics and Administrative Reporting." The OMB plans to announce any revisions to the Directive No. 15 in October 1997.
We have now developed proposed questions on race and Hispanic origin and are soliciting comment on these questions. The proposed questions on race, Hispanic origin, and ancestry for the Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal are consistent with the recommendations of the Interagency Committee for the Review of Racial and Ethnic Standards to OMB. The report and recommendations of the Committee were published for public comment in the Federal Register on Wednesday, July 9, 1997 (Vol.62, No.131, pp.36874-36946).
The proposed question on ancestry is unchan ged from that shown in question 10 in the information collection instrument(s) referenced in the May 23, 1997 Federal Register notice. The proposed questions on race and Hispanic origin ar e shown for the first time in the information collection instrument(s) referenced in the current Federal Register notice.
The information collection instrument(s) to be used in the Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal will be submitted soon for OMB review. They will not contain the questions on race and Hispanic origin that will eventually be included on the instrument(s). Questions on race and Hispanic origin (spec ifica lly, quest ions 5 and 6) will be submi tted at a later date for OMB revie w, after we have gathe red publi c comme nt on their content.
The information provided below under "Method of Collection" and "Data" is identical to information provided in the May 23, 1997 notice.
II. Method of Collection
The Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal will conduct a complete census in the three dress rehearsal sites. In areas containing city style addresses, we will mail the following independent mailing pieces: an advance letter, an original questionnaire with postage-paid return envelope, a reminder card, and a replacement questionnaire with postage-paid return envelope. In areas containing non-city style addresses, enumerators will deliver a questionnaire to each household, to be returned in a postage-paid envelope. Households in these areas also will receive an advance letter before questionnaire delivery and a reminder card following questionnaire delivery. In all areas of the sites, we will visit and collect information from a sample of households that did not return a questionnaire by mail or report their census information by other means, such as by telephone. We will also conduct a reinterview of a small portion of respondents during nonresponse follow-up.
III. Data
OMB Number: Not available.
Form Numbers:
Short Form: DX-1,DX-1(S)Type of Review: Regular Submission.
Long Form: DX-2,DX-2(S)
Enumerator Forms: DX-1E,DX-2E
Household Follow-up: DX-1(HF)
Be Counted Forms: DX-10,DX-10(S),DX-10(C),DX-10(M),DX-10(V),DX-10(T)
Individual Census Questionnaires: DX-15A,DX-15B,DX-20A,DX-20A(S),DX-20B,DX-20B(S)
Military Census Report: DX-21
Letters/Cards/Notices: DX-5(L),DX-5(L)(S),DX-9,DX-1E(S),DX-2E(S),DX-1F,DX-26,DX-28,DX-31
Reinterview: DX-806
Affected Public: Individuals or Households.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
450,000 households(approx.)Estimated Time Per Response:
(Short Form:83% Long Form:17%)
Reinterview: 3,000 households
Short Form: 10 minutesEstimated Total Annual Burden Hours:
Long Form: 38 minutes
Reinterview: 5 minutes
Short Form: 62,250 hoursEstimated Total Annual Cost: The only cost to respondents is that of their time.
Long Form: 48,450 hours
Reinterview : 250 hours
Total: 110,950 hours
Respondent's Obligation: Mandatory.
Legal Authority: Title 13 U.S.C. Sections 141 and 193.
IV. Request for Comments
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.
Dated: July 14, 1997.
Linda Engelmeier,
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management
and Organization.
[FR Doc. 97-18865 Filed 7-16-97; 8:45 a.m.]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P
