public hearing

Villagers oppose proposal for quarry near Sathanur dam at a public hearing

Tiruvannamalai Collector D. Bhaskara Pandian chaired the hearing organised by the TNPCB on Wednesday. The black granite quarry is proposed to be set up on about 8.46 hectares of government land in Sathanur




public hearing

Train crew size requirements: FRA to host public hearing in December

Washington — The Federal Railroad Administration has scheduled a public hearing on a proposed rule that would require at least two crew members for most trains.




public hearing

Notice of Public Hearing

Notice is hereby given that the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Board desires public comment before it considers an ordinance to adopt the Proposed 2025-2029 Capital Program of Projects, 2025 Operating Budget and Program and the Financial Plan for 2026 and 2027.




public hearing

OSCE Programme Office supports public hearings on libel and slander legislation in Kazakhstan

ASTANA, 21 July 2016 – Some 25 Supreme and Regional Court judges, lawyers, journalists, media experts as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps and civil society today in Astana participated in OSCE-supported public hearings on the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan’s Decree on the “Application of legislation on protecting the honour, dignity and business reputation in judicial practice”.

Participants reviewed current legal precedents on defamation-related cases, discussed national legislation and its compliance with international standards as well as recommendations to the Supreme Court’s draft decree.    

 “The OSCE advocates for the full decriminalization of defamation and the fair consideration of such cases in dispute-resolution bodies or civil courts,” said Colin McCullough, Political Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “This is crucial to promoting freedom of the media, to effectively expose and fight corruption, and to eliminate the excessive protection of senior officials from legitimate public criticism.”

Bolat Kalyanbekov, Head of the Information Support Division of the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan, said: "Today's public hearings create a precedent for additional expert understanding of regulatory decrees. This is a relatively new format for meetings and it allows us all to hear expert opinions and conclusions on the issue, as well as to receive comprehensive recommendations on it.”

The event was supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the US Agency for International Development, the Eurasia Foundation for Central Asia and the International Fund for the Protection of the Freedom of Speech Adil Soz. It is part of the Office’s activities aimed at promoting media freedom and freedom of expression in line with OSCE principles and commitments.

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public hearing

OSCE Programme Office supports public hearings on libel and slander legislation in Kazakhstan

ASTANA, 21 July 2016 – Some 25 Supreme and Regional Court judges, lawyers, journalists, media experts as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps and civil society today in Astana participated in OSCE-supported public hearings on the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan’s Decree on the “Application of legislation on protecting the honour, dignity and business reputation in judicial practice”.

Participants reviewed current legal precedents on defamation-related cases, discussed national legislation and its compliance with international standards as well as recommendations to the Supreme Court’s draft decree.    

 “The OSCE advocates for the full decriminalization of defamation and the fair consideration of such cases in dispute-resolution bodies or civil courts,” said Colin McCullough, Political Officer at the OSCE Programme Office in Astana. “This is crucial to promoting freedom of the media, to effectively expose and fight corruption, and to eliminate the excessive protection of senior officials from legitimate public criticism.”

Bolat Kalyanbekov, Head of the Information Support Division of the Supreme Court of Kazakhstan, said: "Today's public hearings create a precedent for additional expert understanding of regulatory decrees. This is a relatively new format for meetings and it allows us all to hear expert opinions and conclusions on the issue, as well as to receive comprehensive recommendations on it.”

The event was supported by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana in co-operation with the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the US Agency for International Development, the Eurasia Foundation for Central Asia and the International Fund for the Protection of the Freedom of Speech Adil Soz. It is part of the Office’s activities aimed at promoting media freedom and freedom of expression in line with OSCE principles and commitments.

Related Stories




public hearing

DSHA To Host A Virtual Public Hearing To Gather Input On The Home-American Rescue Plan Program

Priorities include homeless shelters, permanent supportive housing, and low-income housing Dover, Del. December 15, 2022 – The Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) will host a virtual public hearing to obtain public input on the HOME-American Rescue Plan Program (HOME-ARP). The plan is Delaware’s application and distribution plan for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s […]




public hearing

Prevailing Wage Regulations Public Hearing on September 24, 2018

On September 24, 2018, the Division of Industrial Affairs will accept public comment on proposed changes to Delaware’s Prevailing Wage Regulations from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at the Department of Labor’s Harold Stafford Training Center located at 19 Lea Boulevard, Wilmington, DE 19802. Members of the public may receive a copy of the proposed regulations […]



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public hearing

DHSS Seeks Comment on State Plan on Aging at Public Hearings This Month

NEWARK – The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD) will seek public comment on its proposed State Plan on Aging for the period of October 2024 through September 2028. The State Plan has been developed to meet requirements under Title III and Title […]



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  • Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities
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public hearing

DNREC to Hold Virtual Joint Public Hearing July 9 on Proposed Offshore Wind Project

DNREC will hold a joint virtual public hearing Tuesday, July 9 at 6 p.m. on multiple permit applications and authorization requests made to DNREC by wind energy developer US Wind, Inc. involving Delaware aspects of the company’s proposed Maryland offshore wind project.




public hearing

NGT stays public hearings in Puducherry on revised coastal zone maps




public hearing

Public hearing on Brane Enterprises on Nov. 17




public hearing

PUBLIC INVITED TO COMMENT ON PLANS TO IMPROVE ROUTE 602 - Public Hearing scheduled for August 28 in Accomack County

MELFA – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) invites the public to attend a hearing on Tuesday, August 28, to learn about and comment...




public hearing

Design Public Hearing for Business Route 23 widening in Wise Tuesday - October 16 from 4 - 6 p.m. at Wise Municipal Building

BRISTOL – The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will hold a design public hearing tomorrow to show plans for the widening of a half-mile section of Business Route 23 in the Town of Wise.




public hearing

VDOT TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON ROUTE 46 BRIDGE IN NOTTOWAY COUNTY - Public invited to learn more about the proposed bridge improvements on September 26

COLONIAL HEIGHTS —The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) will hold a public hearing for a proposed rehabilitation of the Route 46...




public hearing

VDOT TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT AT HUGUENOT TRAIL (RT. 711) IN POWHATAN - Public invited to learn more about the proposed intersection improvements on Oct. 2

Proposed T-shaped intersection at Huguenot Trail, Huguenot Springs Rd. and Woolridge Rd. NORTH CHESTERFIELD —The Virginia Department of...




public hearing

VDOT TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARING ON IRON BRIDGE ROAD/ROUTE 715 (GHOLSON BRIDGE) REHABILITATION IN BRUNSWICK - Public invited to learn more about the proposed rehabilitation on November 1

The Gholson Bridge on Iron Bridge Road (Route 715) runs over the Meherrin River NORTH CHESTERFIELD —The Virginia Department of Transportation...




public hearing

VDOT SCHEDULES LOCATION AND DESIGN PUBLIC HEARING FOR ROUTE 11 AND ROUTE 704 PROJECTS IN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY

The Virginia Department of Transportation will hold a Location and Design public hearing concerning improvements to Route 11 (South Valley Pike) and Route 704 (Cecil Wampler Road) in Rockingham County.  The meeting will take place from 4 to 7 p.m., Thursday, December 6, 2018 at Bridgewater Town Hall, 201 Green Street, Bridgewater, Virginia  22812.  The inclement weather date is Thursday, December 13, 2018, same time and location.




public hearing

'Fracking' inquiry begins first round of public hearings

The chairman of Australia's first parliamentary inquiry into 'fracking' says the investigation is entering a significant new chapter.




public hearing

Office of Management and Budget schedules public hearings on regulations

The Delaware Office of Management and Budget will be holding three public hearings to gather public comment on regulations under Governor Markell’s Executive Order 36, a statewide review by all agencies to identify and remove regulatory hurdles.



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Public hearing for DNREC, DDA proposed firearm regulations set for Monday, March 12 in Dover

DNREC and Department of Agriculture will conduct a joint public hearing Monday, March 12 on proposed regulations for possessing firearms in Delaware’s state parks and wildlife areas and state forests.




public hearing

DNREC hosts its first virtual public hearing

To keep operating amid ongoing concern over the spread of the novel coronavirus, DNREC yesterday held its first virtual public hearing.




public hearing

DHSS Seeks Comment on State Plan on Aging at Two Public Hearings This Month

NEW CASTLE (April 17, 2020) – The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities will seek public comment on its proposed State Plan on Aging for the period of October 2020 through September 2024. The state plan has been developed to meet requirements under Title […]



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public hearing

CSOs Give Conditions For Virtual Public Hearing On Control Of Infectious Diseases Bill

The Nigerian Civil Society Organisations have recommended modalities that would ensure citizens’ participation in the conduct of the proposed virtual public hearing on the controversial Infectious Diseases Bill.

The group said that public scrutiny of the bill can only be achieved through a broad-based engagements of stakeholders. 

In a statement jointly signed by 69 civil organisations on Thursday in Abuja, the groups stated that any legislative process that does not guarantee active and free participation of the people would fail and not be accepted.  

The statement noted that the proposed public hearing, which would be held via video conferencing be scheduled to hold between two to three days and representatives of organizations be allowed to make presentation for five-10 minutes.

The rights group also asked the lawmakers to provide information on the committee responsible for the coordination of the hearing.

According to the statement, "The committee responsible for organising these activities should conduct citizen outreach and share this information widely with the public through diverse media platforms. 

"This is critical to ensure broad awareness and participation and enhance legislative transparency" 

They said the virtual public hearing on the bill must be comprehensive, and conform with the dictates of the constitution. 

 

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 




public hearing

Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli Speaks at the Puerto Rico Task Force Public Hearing

"As many of you know, it has been a priority of President Obama since day one that our government be open, transparent and accountable," said Associate Attorney General Perrelli.




public hearing

Department of Justice Announces Public Hearings on Proposed Revisions to ADA Regulations

The Department of Justice has scheduled three public hearings on its regulatory proposals concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).



  • OPA Press Releases

public hearing

Attorney General Holder Holds Public Hearing on Children Exposed to Violence

Attorney General Eric Holder’s National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence convened its first of four public hearings to gather expert and community testimony on the epidemic of children’s exposure to violence.



  • OPA Press Releases

public hearing

Attorney General’s Task Force on Children’s Exposure to Violence Holds Public Hearing in Miami

Attorney General Eric Holder’s National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence concluded a three-day public hearing in Miami today on the challenges of preventing children’s exposure to violence in the community. At the hearing, expert panelists on the child welfare system testified about how immigrant and at-risk youth are exposed to violence and how mayors across the country are interrupting the cycle of violence in their cities, among other issues.



  • OPA Press Releases

public hearing

Attorney General Eric Holder’s Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence Holds Final Public Hearing in Detroit

At the final hearing of Attorney General Eric Holder’s National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence in Detroit, officials from the Justice Department and the city of Detroit underscored efforts to keep kids safe and prevent youth violence. The task force is a key part of Attorney General Holder’s Defending Childhood Initiative to prevent and reduce children’s exposure to violence.



  • OPA Press Releases

public hearing

Remarks as Prepared for Delivery by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer at Public Hearing on Potential Regulation to Strengthen Anti-Money Laundering Safeguards

"This rulemaking presents an important opportunity to close a gap in our financial regulations that makes it easier for criminals to move illicit proceeds through the United States financial system," said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.




public hearing

Attorney General Eric Holder Announces First Public Hearing of Task Force to Examine Impact of Violence on American Indian and Alaska Native Children

Attorney General Eric Holder today announced the first public hearing of a new task force to examine the impact of exposure to violence on American Indian and Alaska Native children. Joining President Obama and other officials at the Department of the Interior for the White House Tribal Nations Conference, Attorney General Holder shared the announcement with leaders from the 566 federally recognized tribes and emphasized the Justice Department’s long-standing collaboration with leaders in American Indian and Alaska Native communities to improve public safety.



  • OPA Press Releases

public hearing

First Public Hearing of the American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence Task Force Held in Bismarck, N.D.

The Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of the Task Force on American Indian/Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence held its first public hearing today in Bismarck, N.D., convening tribal researchers, advocates and local community members to discuss domestic violence and child physical and sexual abuse in Indian Country.



  • OPA Press Releases

public hearing

Advisory Committee on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence Holds Final Public Hearing

The Advisory Committee of the Attorney General’s Task Force on American Indian and Alaska Native Children Exposed to Violence convenes its final public hearing in Anchorage, Alaska, today and tomorrow



  • OPA Press Releases

public hearing

Statement of Martin Neil Baily to the public hearing concerning the Department of Labor’s proposed conflict of interest rule


Introduction

I would like to thank the Department for giving me the opportunity to testify on this important issue. The document I submitted to you is more general than most of the comments you have received, talking about the issues facing retirement savers and policymakers, rather than engaging in a point-by-point discussion of the detailed DOL proposal1.

Issues around Retirement Saving

1. Most workers in the bottom third of the income distribution will rely on Social Security to support them in retirement and will save little. Hence it is vital that we support Social Security in roughly its present form and make sure it remains funded, either by raising revenues or by scaling back benefits for higher income retirees, or both.

2. Those in the middle and upper middle income levels must now rely on 401k and IRA funds to provide income support in retirement. Many and perhaps most households lack a good understanding of the amount they need to save and how to allocate their savings. This is true even of many savers with high levels of education and capabilities.

3. The most important mistakes made are: not saving enough; withdrawing savings prior to retirement; taking Social Security benefits too early2 ; not managing tax liabilities effectively; and failing to adequately manage risk in investment choices. This last category includes those who are too risk averse and choose low-return investments as well as those that overestimate their own ability to pick stocks and time market movements. These points are discussed in the paper I submitted to DoL in July. They indicate that retirement savers can benefit substantially from good advice.

4. The market for investment advice is one where there is asymmetric information and such markets are prone to inefficiency. It is very hard to get incentives correctly aligned. Professional standards are often used as a way of dealing with such markets but these are only partially successful. Advisers may be compensated through fees paid by the investment funds they recommend, either a load fee or a wrap fee. This arrangement can create an incentive for advisers to recommend high fee plans.

5. At the same time, advisers who encourage increased saving, help savers select products with good returns and adequate diversification, and follow a strategy of holding assets until retirement provide benefits to their clients.

Implications for the DoL’s proposed conflicted interest rule

1. Disclosure. There should be a standardized and simple disclosure form provided to all households receiving investment advice, detailing the fees they will be paying based on the choices they make. Different investment choices offered to clients should be accompanied by a statement describing how the fees received by the adviser would be impacted by the alternative recommendations made to the client.

2. Implications for small-scale savers. The proposed rule will bring with it increased compliance costs. These costs, combined with a reluctance to assume more risk and a fear of litigation, may make some advisers less likely to offer retirement advice to households with modest savings. These households are the ones most in need of direction and education, but because their accounts will not turn profits for advisors, they may be abandoned. According to the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the proposed rule will save families with IRAs more than $40 billion over the next decade. However, this benefit must be weighed against the attendant costs of implementing the rule. It is possible that the rule will leave low- and medium-income households without professional guidance, further widening the retirement savings gap. The DoL should consider ways to minimize or manage these costs. Options include incentivizing advisors to continue guiding small-scale savers, perhaps through the tax code, and promoting increased financial literacy training for households with modest savings. Streamlining and simplifying the rules would also help.

3. Need for Research on Online Solutions. The Administration has argued that online advice may be the solution for these savers, and for some fraction of this group that may be a good alternative. Relying on online sites to solve the problem seems a stretch, however. Maybe at some time in the future that will be a viable option but at present there are many people, especially in the older generation, who lack sufficient knowledge and experience to rely on web solutions. The web offers dangers as well as solutions, with the potential for sub-optimal or fraudulent advice. I urge the DoL to commission independent research to determine how well a typical saver does when looking for investment advice online. Do they receive good advice? Do they act on that advice? What classes of savers do well or badly with online advice? Can web advice be made safer? To what extent do persons receiving online advice avoid the mistakes described earlier?

4. Pitfalls of MyRA. Another suggestion by the Administration is that small savers use MyRA as a guide to their decisions and this option is low cost and safe, but the returns are very low and will not provide much of a cushion in retirement unless households set aside a much larger share of their income than has been the case historically.

5. Clarifications about education versus advice. The proposed rule distinguished education from advisement. An advisor can share general information on best practices in retirement planning, including making age-appropriate asset allocations and determining the ideal age at which to retire, without triggering fiduciary responsibility. This is certainly a useful distinction. However, some advisors could frame this general information in a way that encourages clients to make decisions that are not in their own best interest. The DoL ought to think carefully about the line between education and advice, and how to discourage advisors from sharing information in a way that leads to future conflicts of interest. One option may be standardizing the general information that may be provided without triggering fiduciary responsibility.

6. Implications for risk management. Under the proposed rule advisors may be reluctant to assume additional risk and worry about litigation. In addition to pushing small-scale savers out of the market, the rule may encourage excessive risk aversion in some advisors. General wisdom suggests that young savers should have relatively high-risk portfolios, de-risking as they age, and ending with a relatively low-risk portfolio at the end of the accumulation period. The proposed rule could cause advisors to discourage clients from taking on risk, even when the risk is generally appropriate and the investor has healthy expectations. Extreme risk aversion could decrease both market returns for investors and the “value-add” of professional advisors. The DoL should think carefully about how it can discourage conflicted advice without encouraging overzealous risk reductions.

The proposed rule is an important effort to increase consumer protection and retirement security. However, in its current form, it may open the door to some undesirable or problematic outcomes. With some thoughtful revisions, I believe the rule can provide a net benefit to the country.



1. Baily’s work has been assisted by Sarah E. Holmes. He is a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and a Director of The Phoenix Companies, but the views expressed are his alone.

2. As you know, postponing Social Security benefits yields an 8 percent real rate of return, far higher than most people earn on their investments. For most of those that can manage to do so, postponing the receipt of benefits is the best decision.

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Publication: Public Hearing - Department of Labor’s Proposed Conflict of Interest Rule
Image Source: © Steve Nesius / Reuters
     
 
 




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Tax-News.com: USTR Holds Public Hearing On French Digital Tax

On January 6, 2020, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that an on-the-record but off-camera public hearing would be held on January 7 on proposed action against France's digital services tax (DST).




public hearing

Tax-News.com: USTR Holds Public Hearing On French Digital Tax

On January 6, 2020, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced that an on-the-record but off-camera public hearing would be held on January 7 on proposed action against France's digital services tax (DST).




public hearing

Ignoring the ‘public’ at a public hearing


At a recent public hearing for the Parsa Coal Block in Chhattisgarh, citizens likely to be affected by mining there raised several concerns. However, much of it has been completely ignored in the official record of minutes, reports Kanchi Kohli.