NOTE: COMMENTS REGARDING ANY FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE MUST BE SENT TO THE ADDRESS INDICATED IN THE DOCUMENT. ANY COMMENTS ON THE RAPID INFORMATION BULLETIN BOARD SYSTEM (RIBBS) ABOUT ANY FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICES WILL NOT BE USED OR CONSIDERED IN THE COURSE OF ANY RULE MAKING. [Federal Register: December 7, 1995 (Volume 60, Number 235)] [Notices] [Page 62900-62901] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] ======================================================================= ----------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTAL SERVICE Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records AGENCY: Postal Service. ACTION: Notice of amendment and addition of new routine use for an existing system of records. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This document publishes notice of modifications to Privacy Act system of records USPS 050.005, Finance Records--Accounts Receivable Files. The proposed modifications add a new routine use and restore an earlier removal from the description of the categories of individuals covered by the system. The routine use allows disclosure of limited information to a Postal Service permit holder or presenter of a bulk mailing when the customer on whose behalf the mailing was made has submitted a nonsufficient funds check for payment of postage. The categories of individuals segment is amended to restore the previously removed category of customers whose checks are returned by the bank. This notice complies with subsection (e)(11) of the Privacy Act, which requires agencies to publish advance notice of any new use of information in a system of records. DATES: Any interested party may submit written comments on the proposed amendments and addition. This proposal will become effective without further notice on January 16, 1996, unless comments received on or before that date result in a contrary determination. ADDRESSES: Written comments on this proposal should be mailed or delivered to Payroll Accounting/Records, United States Postal Service, 475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 8650, Washington, DC 20260-5242. Copies of all written comments will be available at the above address for public inspection and photocopying between 8 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Betty E. Sheriff, (202) 268-2608. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Privacy Act system of records USPS 050.005, Finance Records--Accounts Receivable Files, contains records used to facilitate the collection of debts owed to the Postal Service. It is proposed that the system be amended to add routine use No. 8 and to replace in the categories of individuals segment the category of customers whose checks are returned by the bank. Proposed routine use No. 8 permits the Postal Service to disclose to a permit holder or presenter of a mailing information concerning a nonsufficient funds check used by the permit holder or presenter to pay postage for a customer on whose behalf a mailing was made. When a permit holder or presenter of a mailing submits a mailing to the Postal Service, the mailing may have been prepared for an individual or organization other than the permit holder or presenter. In such cases, the permit holder or presenter of the mailing may, for payment of postage, submit the check of the individual or organization for which the mailing is prepared. Currently, the Postal Service pursues collection for nonsufficient funds checks directly from the permit holder or presenter of the mailing. Under a new policy, the Postal Service will pursue collection for nonsufficient funds check directly from the check writer. Post offices may then refuse to accept further check payment of postage and fees by that check writer. For that transaction and future transactions, it might be necessary to disclose to the permit holder or presenter of the [[Page 62901]] mailing that the individual or organization for whom the mailing was made has submitted a check for nonsufficient funds. New routine use No. 8 permits such disclosure. The proposed routine use is compatible with the purpose for collecting the information, that is, facilitating debt collection and preventing the future acceptance of bad checks from repeat offenders. Because the disclosures allowed by this routine use will enable the Postal Service to protect itself from bad-check writers, the routine use is clearly compatible with the purpose of USPS Privacy Act system 050.005. The categories of individuals segment of the system notice formerly included the language "customers whose checks are returned by the bank." That language, intended to cover records that include existing local lists of such customers, was removed in an administrative error. This notice restores the language. All records within USPS Privacy Act system 050.005 continue to be kept in a secured environment, with automated data processing (ADP) physical and administrative security and technical software applied to data on computer media. Paper records are kept in a secured area of the post office and are made available internally on an official need-to- know basis. Contractors who maintain data collected by USPS Privacy Act system 050.005 are subject to subsection (m) of the Privacy Act and are required to apply appropriate protections subject to the audit and inspection of the Postal Inspection Service. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(e)(11), interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, or arguments on this proposal. A report of the proposed system has been sent to Congress and to the Office of Management and Budget for their evaluation. USPS Privacy Act system 050.005 was last published in its entirety in the Federal Register on October 26, 1989 (54 FR 43666-43667) and was amended in the Federal Register on December 22, 1994 (59 FR 66061- 66062). The Postal Service proposes amending USPS Privacy Act system 050.005 as shown below. USPS 050.005 Finance Records--Accounts Receivable Files, 050.005. * * * * * [CHANGE TO READ] Postal Service debtors such as the following: Contractors who fail either to provide equipment, supplies, or services to the Postal Service as agreed or to purchase property from the Postal Service as agreed; customers who have written checks returned by the bank; payees of money orders who make an erroneous payment, improper payment, or overpayment; employees or former employees who make an erroneous payment, improper payment, or overpayment; employees, former employees, or private parties who lose or damage Postal Service property through carelessness, negligence, or malice. * * * * * [CHANGE TO READ] Routine use statements a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, j, k, l, and m listed in the prefatory statement at the beginning of the Postal Service's published system notices apply to this system. Other routine uses are as follows: * * * * * [ADD THE FOLLOWING] 8. Disclosure of information about postal customers who write nonsufficient funds checks for postal services may be made to the permit holder or presenter of a mailing being made on the customer's behalf. Disclosure is limited to the identity of the customer, the date of the mailing, and the date and amount of the check. Stanley F. Mires, Chief Counsel, Legislative. [FR Doc. 95-29756 Filed 12-6-95; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 7710-12-P