[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 21, 1999)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51087-51088]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24555]
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FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
16 CFR Part 432
Trade Regulation Rule Relating to Power Output Claims for
Amplifiers Utilized in Home Entertainment Products
AGENCY: Federal Trade Commission.
ACTION: Notice of extension of comment period.
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SUMMARY: On July 19, 1999, the Federal Trade Commission (the
``Commission'') commenced a rulemaking proceeding and requested public
comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend its Rule relating
to Power Output Claims for Amplifiers Utilized in Home Entertainment
Products (the ``Amplifier Rule'' or the ``Rule''). The Commission
solicited comments until September 17, 1999. In response to a request
from an industry trade association, the Commission grants an extension
of the comment period until October 15, 1999.
DATES: Written comments will be accepted until October 15, 1999.
[[Page 51088]]
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be submitted to Office of the
Secretary, Federal Trade Commission, Room H-159, 600 Pennsylvania Ave.,
NW., Washington, DC 20580. Comments should be identified as ``16 CFR
Part 432 Comment--Amplifier Rule.'' If possible, submit comments both
in writing and on a personal computer diskette in Word Perfect or other
word processing format (to assist in processing, please identify the
format and version used). Written comments should be submitted, when
feasible and not burdensome, in five copies.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dennis Murphy, Economist, Division of
Consumer Protection, Bureau of Economics, (202) 326-3524, or Neil
Blickman, Attorney, Division of Enforcement, Bureau of Consumer
Protection, (202) 326-3038, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC
20580.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 19, 1999, as part of its regulatory
review program, the Commission published in the Federal Register a
request for public comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend
its Amplifier Rule, 16 CFR part 432 (64 FR 38610). The Amplifier Rule
was promulgated on May 3, 1974 (39 FR 15387), to assist consumers in
purchasing power amplification equipment for home entertainment
purposes by standardizing the measurement and disclosure of various
performance characteristics of the equipment. Specifically, the Federal
Register notice solicited public comments on Commission proposals to
amend the Amplifier Rule to: Exempt sellers who make power output
claims in media advertising from the Rule's requirement to disclose
total rated harmonic distortion and the associated power bandwidth and
impedance ratings; clarify the manner in which the Rule's testing
procedures apply to self-powered subwoofer-satellite combination
speaker systems; and reduce the preconditioning power output
requirement in the Rule from one-third of rated power to one-eighth of
rated power. Pursuant to the Federal Register notice, the comment
period on the notice of proposed rulemaking currently ends on September
17, 1999.
On September 7, 1999, the Commission staff received a request for
an extension of the comment period from the Consumer Electronics
Manufacturers Association (``CEMA''). CEMA has indicated that
additional time is required for its members to prepare thorough,
thoughtful responses to the proposals and questions contained in the
Federal Register notice.
The Commission is aware that some of the issues raised by the
Federal Register notice are complex and technical. Accordingly, to
provide sufficient time for interested parties to prepare useful
comments, the Commission has decided to extend the deadline for
comments on its notice of proposed rulemaking by twenty-eight (28)
days, until October 15, 1999.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 41-58.
List of Subjects in 16 CFR Part 432
Amplifiers, Home entertainment products, Trade practices.
By direction of the Commission.
Donald S. Clark,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-24555 Filed 9-17-99; 8:55 am]
BILLING CODE 6750-01-M