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<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-09-21-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>0960-AE97</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>200004</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>0960</CODE>
            <NAME>Social Security Administration</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>SSA</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>OASDI and SSI; Expansion of the Use of Video Teleconference Technology in Hearings Before Administrative Law Judges of the Social Security Administration (737P)</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[We propose to amend our regulations to permit us to conduct hearings before an administrative law judge (ALJ) by video teleconference (VTC). We also propose to add new sections to the regulations that state an ALJ will find good cause to change the time and place of a hearing if we schedule a VTC hearing, and the individual tells us he/she does not want a VTC hearing.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Other Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Proposed Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>No</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>No</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.929</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.936(b)</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.936(c)</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.936(d)(8) (New)</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 404.938</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.1429</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.1436(b)</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.1436(c)</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.1436(d)(8) (New)</CFR>
            <CFR>20 CFR 416.1438</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 205(a)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 205(b)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 902(a)(5)</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 1383</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST/>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>Yes</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <RPLAN_INFO>
            <STMT_OF_NEED><![CDATA[Our regulations provide for a hearing in person before an ALJ. Traditionally, this has meant that the individual requesting a hearing and the ALJ were present in the same room. The proposed changes will allow us to schedule a VTC hearing without requiring prior written consent, and set out the right to decline such a hearing. We believe that conducting hearings by VTC will improve our efficiency and allow us to serve our customers better.

Providing VTC hearings is one initiative of the Hearings Process Improvement Plan we issued in August 1999. We expect that the plan, when fully implemented, will reduce the average processing time for hearings from 313 days in Fiscal Year 1999 to less than 200 days in Fiscal Year 2002. The VTC provision would aid in this reduction by eliminating much of the time some ALJ's must spend to travel to remote sites to conduct hearings face-to-face.]]></STMT_OF_NEED>
            <LEGAL_BASIS><![CDATA[None.]]></LEGAL_BASIS>
            <ALTERNATIVES><![CDATA[Require participation in a scheduled VTC hearing, i.e., no right to decline a VTC hearing.]]></ALTERNATIVES>
            <COSTS_AND_BENEFITS><![CDATA[Improved customer service by providing faster access to a hearing.]]></COSTS_AND_BENEFITS>
            <RISKS><![CDATA[None.]]></RISKS>
        </RPLAN_INFO>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>04/00/2000</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Action</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>07/00/2000</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>No</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>No</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>None</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>No</FEDERALISM>
        <PRINT_PAPER>NA</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>Not Collected</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <RELATED_RIN_LIST>
            <RELATED_RIN>
                <RIN>0960-AA05</RIN>
                <RIN_RELATION>Previously reported as</RIN_RELATION>
            </RELATED_RIN>
        </RELATED_RIN_LIST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Lawrence</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Dudar</LAST_NAME>
                <MIDDLE_NAME>V.</MIDDLE_NAME>
                <TITLE>Social Insurance Specialist</TITLE>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>0960</CODE>
                    <NAME>Social Security Administration</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>SSA</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>410 966-5995</PHONE>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>Office of Process and Innovation Management, 6401 Security Boulevard,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Baltimore</CITY>
                    <STATE>MD</STATE>
                    <ZIP>21235-6401</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
        <PROCUREMENT>Not Procurement Related</PROCUREMENT>
        <REINVENT_GOVT>No</REINVENT_GOVT>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
