[Published at 58 FR 32359-32360 (June 9, 1993)] OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT ETHICS Public Information Collection Form Revision Submitted for OMB Approval AGENCY: Office of Government Ethics (OGE). ACTION: Notice of proposed revision of a public information collection form submitted to OMB for clearance. SUMMARY: The Office of Government Ethics has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval, in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), a proposed revised version of the SF 278 Public Financial Disclosure Report, that collects information from the public. Since the form is also a Standard Form, OGE is submitting the proposed reprint revisions to the General Services Administration (GSA) for its clearance as well. DATES: Comments on this proposal should be received by July 9, 1993. ADDRESSES: Comments should be sent to Joseph F. Lackey, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 3002, Washington, DC 20503, telephone (202/FTS) 395-7316. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Judy Kim, Office of Government Ethics, Suite 500, 1201 New York Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20005- 3917, telephone (202) 523-5757, FAX (202) 523-6325. A copy of OGE's request for approval from OMB, including the proposed revised form, may be obtained by contacting Ms. Kim. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Office of Government Ethics sponsors the SF 278 Executive Branch Personnel Public Financial Disclosure Report which collects pertinent financial information from certain officials and high-level employees in the executive branch for conflicts of interest review and public disclosure, as required by statute, in order to promote the public trust in the integrity of Government employees. The SF 278 Public Financial Disclosure Report collects information which is required to be reported by candidates, nominees, new entrants, incumbents and terminees of certain high- level positions within the executive branch of the Federal Government. Approximately 20,000 SF 278 forms are filed on an annual basis. While the majority of those who file the form are Government employees at the time they complete the form, candidates for President and Vice President, nominees, and some new entrants and terminees complete the form either before or after their Government service. Thus Paperwork Reduction Act approval by OMB is required for the SF 278 Public Financial Disclosure Report. The number of non-Government filers whose reports are transmitted to the Director, OGE, is estimated to average 280 per year. The average response time for completion of the SF 278 is estimated to be three hours. This now presents a total annual public reporting burden at OGE of 840 hours (280 forms times 3 hours). The information filed on the current version of the SF 278 is required by title I of the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 as amended by the Ethics Reform Act of 1989. This request for revision of the SF 278 is necessary in order to incorporate recent amendments to the Ethics in Government Act. In 1991, Congress amended provisions affecting the value of gifts required to be included on public financial disclosure reports for reporting periods after 1991. Section 314(a) of Public Law 102-90, effective January 1, 1993, established a single $250 threshold for both travel and non-travel gifts (when the "minimal value" under the foreign gifts act exceeds that threshold, which is not expected for at least the next three years, the higher "minimal value" figure will govern). The amendment also raised the current $75 exclusion for determining which gifts and reimbursements must be reported or aggregated to $100 on January 1, 1992 for reporting periods after 1991 (also to be proportionately adjusted in the future once the foreign gifts "minimal value" exceeds $250). Also, under the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990, Public Law 101- 509, General Schedule positions at GS-16, 17 and 18 were replaced by a new range of rates for positions classified "above GS-15." The rate of basic pay for these positions is not less than 120% of the minimum rate of basic pay payable for GS-15. This provision of the Comparability Act took effect in 1991. Congress amended the statutory language in the Ethics in Government Act to reflect this change in Public Law 102-378 (1992). The form and instructions are being modified to incorporate these statutory changes and to provide further clarification on some reporting items as needed based on administrative experience since the last revisions to the SF 278. The proposed revisions to the SF 278 also include the addition of a Schedule A (Assets and Income) continuation sheet. This sheet will provide extra space for Asset and Income entries and reduce the amount of photocopying of Schedule A needed by various filers and their agencies. The substantive changes are reflected in OGE regulations regarding executive branch public financial disclosure reporting at 5 CFR part 2634. Because OGE is trying to have the form available for use by those affected individuals on January 1, 1994, it is being submitted for clearance at this time in order to allow for its printing and stocking by GSA and ordering by executive branch departments and agencies once the clearance process is complete. Approved: June 2, 1993. Stephen D. Potts, Director, Office of Government Ethics.