In October 2014, the Coast Guard first published its intent to submit an Information Collection Request to OMB for approval of the annual collection of vessel registration data from state reporting authorities (docket USCG-2014-0713 at regulations.gov). The purpose was to solicit public comment on the utility and other aspects of this state data required under 33 CFR 174.123 and submitted by the states to the USCG on Form CGHQ-3923. While the collection of registration data would not be a new effort, the content and collection form in use would be affected by changes in CFR vessel type terms resulting from the 2012 issuance of the Final Rule on Changes to Standard Numbering System, Vessel Identification System, and Boating Accident Report Database. NASBLA submitted comments seeking clarification as to the "start date" for states' use of the proposed revised collection form and the scope of information requested on the revision as compared to the old form. Four other entities also made submissions before the comment period closed Dec. 8, 2014.
The typical second step in the approval process, a 30-day notice that would have contained the Coast Guard's formal responses to the comments received and any modifications to the collection before making its submission to OMB, did not occur. Other process delays meant the accompanying, proposed report form would not receive OMB approval and control number by the Jan. 1, 2017 implementation date imposed on the states by the Final Rule. In mid-November 2016, however, the Coast Guard did issue interim guidance for state reporting of vessel registration numbers.
On Nov. 29, 2016, due to the lapse in time from issuance of the first notice, the Coast Guard published another 60-day notice sought public comment to restart the process. That notice included the responses to the comments received during the earlier period. The deadline for submissions to the docket USCG-2014-0713, regulations.gov was Jan. 30, 2017. NASBLA submitted comments that included recommended revisions to the annual report form.
Since then, discussions have taken place between the Coast Guard and NASBLA's Vessel Identification, Registration and Titling (VIRT) Committee, the result being development of mutually-acceptable revisions to Form CGHQ-3923 for use by the states. On Oct. 26, 2018, the Coast Guard moved forward with publication of the follow-up 30-day Federal Register notice, under the same docket number at regulations.gov (USCG-2014-0713), with a Nov. 26, 2018 deadline for public comments. On Oct. 30, the updated form was uploaded to the docket as part of the supporting documents and is also here for review.
NASBLA comment submission to 30-day notice - Nov. 15, 2018
2021 UPDATE: No action was taken on the collection in the wake of that second notice. In a restart of the process, on July 28, 2021, once again due to the lapse in time, the Coast Guard published another 60-day notice. Comments were to be submitted to www.regulations.gov at the same docket USCG-2014-0713 by Sept. 27, 2021. NASBLA submitted the only comment to the docket by the deadline.
NASBLA_comment submission to 60-day notice-Sept. 26, 2021
On Nov. 22, 2021, the Coast Guard published the 30-day notice that it was forwarding the information collection request to OMB/OIRA, Comments were to be submitted by Dec. 22, 2021 to www.regulations.gov at the same docket USCG-2014-0713 and/or to OIRA at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain
NASBLA_comment submission to 30-day notice-Dec 2, 2021
page last updated Feb. 16, 2022