Title 44 — Public Printing and DocumentsRelease 119-73
§3508 Determination of necessity for information; hearing
Title 44 › Chapter CHAPTER 35— - COORDINATION OF FEDERAL INFORMATION POLICY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - FEDERAL INFORMATION POLICY › § 3508
Summary
The Director must decide if an agency really needs to collect information and if that information will be useful. The Director may take comments before deciding, and if they find the collection unnecessary, the agency cannot collect it.
Full Legal Text
Title 44, §3508
Public Printing and Documents — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Before approving a proposed collection of information, the Director shall determine whether the collection of information by the agency is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility. Before making a determination the Director may give the agency and other interested persons an opportunity to be heard or to submit statements in writing. To the extent, if any, that the Director determines that the collection of information by an agency is unnecessary for any reason, the agency may not engage in the collection of information.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
A prior section 3508, added Pub. L. 96–511, § 2(a), Dec. 11, 1980, 94 Stat. 2821, related to determination of whether collection of information is necessary for proper performance of functions of agency prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 104–13. Another prior section 3508, Pub. L. 90–620, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1304, related to unlawful disclosure of information, penalties, and release of information to other agencies, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 96–511. See section 3510(b) of this title.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Oct. 1, 1995, except as otherwise provided, see section 4(a) of Pub. L. 104–13, set out as a note under section 3501 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
44 U.S.C. § 3508
Title 44 — Public Printing and Documents
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73