Proposed Information Collection Activity; Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity and Required Data Elements for Paternity Establishment Affidavits

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families [Office of Management and Budget #: 0970-0171] Proposed Information Collection Activity; Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity and Required Data Elements for Paternity Establishment Affidavits AGENCY: Office of Child Support Enforcement, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ACTION: Request for public comments. SUMMARY: The Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is requesting a 3-year extension of the Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity and Required Data Elements for Paternity Establishment Affidavits. No changes are proposed to the data elements, but burden has been adjusted to reflect improved automation for processes. DATES: Comments due September 22, 2026. ADDRESSES: In compliance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, ACF is soliciting public comment on the specific aspects of the information collection described above. You can obtain copies of the proposed collection of information and submit comments by emailing infocollection@acf.hhs.gov. Identify all requests by the title of the information collection. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Description: Section 466(a)(5)(C) of the Social Security Act requires states to enact laws ensuring a simple civil process for voluntarily acknowledging paternity via an affidavit. The development and use of an affidavit for the voluntary acknowledgment of paternity would include the minimum requirements of the affidavit specified by the Secretary under section 452(a)(7) of the Social Security Act and give full faith and credit to such an affidavit signed in any other state according to its procedures. The state must provide that, before a mother and putative father can sign a voluntary acknowledgment of paternity, the mother and putative father must be given notice, orally, or through the use of video equipment, and in writing, of the alternatives to, the legal consequences of, and the rights (including any rights, if one parent is a minor, due to minority status) and responsibilities of acknowledging paternity. The affidavits will be used by hospitals, birth record agencies, and other entities participating in the voluntary paternity establishment program to collect information from the parents of nonmarital children. Respondents: The parents of nonmarital children, state and tribal agencies operating child support programs under Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, hospitals, birth record agencies, and other entities participating in the voluntary paternity establishment program. Annual Burden Estimates: Annual burden estimates have been updated to remove ordering brochures from the annual burden hours calculation, as ordering brochures is not required under federal guidelines. With advancements in automation and digital service delivery, most partners now rely on electronic devices located in hospitals and other automated public facing platforms to deliver education on paternity establishment and highlight the benefits of signing the paternity establishment affidavit. This results in a 40 percent overall decrease in estimated annual burden compared to the most recently approved annual burden estimates (2024). The number of responses and estimated time per response for the remaining instruments have not changed.   Instrument Total number of respondents Annual number of responses per respondent Average burden hours per response Annual burden hours Training 135,155 1 1 135,155 Paternity Acknowledgment Process 1,372,816 1 0.17 233,379 Data Elements 54 1 1 54 Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 368,588 Comments: The Department specifically requests comments 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 of the proposed collection of information; (c) 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. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted within 60 days of this publication. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 666(a)(5)(C) and 652(a)(7). Mary C. Jones, ACF/OPRE Certifying Officer. [FR Doc. 2026-15044 Filed 7-23-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4184-41-P