2020-20035: Concrete Masonry Products Research, Education and Promotion Order; Referendum Procedures

Summary

Pursuant to the Concrete Masonry Products Research, Education, and Promotion Act of 2018 (the Act), the Department of Commerce (Department) solicits comments on proposed procedures for conducting a referendum to determine whether manufacturers of concrete masonry units favor the issuance of a proposed Concrete Masonry Products Research, Education, and Promotion Order (proposed order). The purpose of the proposed order is to strengthen the position of the concrete masonry products industry in the domestic marketplace; maintain, develop, and expand markets and uses for concrete masonry products in the domestic marketplace; and promote the use of concrete masonry products in construction and building. The Department published the proposed order in the Federal Register on August 24, 2020. The Act requires industry to approve the proposed order via a referendum. If industry approves the proposed order, the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) will issue a final order and appoint a Board to carry out the duties prescribed by that order, which would include an industry-funded research, education, and promotion program. The Department also would follow these procedures for any subsequent referendum under the Act. This proposal also announces the intent of the Department to request approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of two new information collection requests (ICRs) to support implementation of the referendum.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 1 part of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

• 15 CFR 1500 Concrete Masonry Research, Education, and Promotion