Rulemaking

Open Rulemakings and Rulemaking Information  

Other information about LSC rulemaking is available at:

For further information, please contact Stefanie K. Davis, Deputy General Counsel & Ethics Officer, (202) 295-1563 or sdavis@lsc.gov

Parts 1621 and 1624–Client Grievance Procedures and Prohibition of Discrimination Based on Disability (2024)
Request for Information and Public Listening Sessions

Deadlines

The written comment period closes on May 29, 2024.  
Instructions for submitting written comments appear in a section below. 

Public listening sessions for oral comments will be held in March and April as described in a section below. 

Summary

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is requesting public input on proposed revisions to 45 CFR parts 1621 and 1624 related to client grievance procedures and prohibition of discrimination based on disability, respectively. LSC is considering expanding the regulations’ scope to require grantees to establish grievance procedures for board members and ensure they are afforded disability protections. The main purpose of these proposals would be to give board members the same protections under the regulations as applicants for legal assistance, clients, and grantee employees.

LSC is asking grantees, clients, other stakeholders, and interested members of the public to provide LSC with their views on the following questions:

●  What policies and procedures do your organizations currently have in place to address board member grievances? Describe the process.

●  Has your organization had positive or negative experiences with utilizing these procedures in the past?

●  What effect or impact would revising parts 1621 and 1624 to apply to grantee governing body members have on your organization? Unexpected outcomes?

●  Based on previous experience, how often would your organization use regulations like Part 1621 and Part 1624?

●  Is there anything else LSC can do to help resolve conflicts on your organization’s board?

Additional background information and details are available in the Request for Information published in the Federal Register. 

Further Information

For further information, please contact Brittany Sims Nwankwoala, Assistant General Counsel, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007; (202) 295-1599 (phone); or nwankwoalab@lsc.gov.

 

Written Comments—Deadline May 29, 2024

Deadlines

The written comment period closes on May 29, 2024.  
Instructions for submitting written comments appear in this section.

Public listening sessions for oral comments will be held in March and April as described in a section below.

Instructions for Written Comments

Interested parties may submit their comments in writing to LSC via email, fax, or postal mail.

Email

lscrulemaking@lsc.gov. Include “Parts 1621 & 1624” in the subject line of the message.

Postal Mail

Brittany Sims Nwankwoala, Assistant General Counsel
ATTN: Parts 1621 & 1624 Rulemaking
Legal Services Corporation
3333 K St. NW
Washington, DC 20007 

Hand Delivery/Courier

Brittany Sims Nwankwoala, Assistant General Counsel
ATTN: Parts 1621 & 1624 Rulemaking
Legal Services Corporation
3333 K St. NW
Washington, DC 20007 

Further Information

For further information, please contact Brittany Sims Nwankwoala, Assistant General Counsel, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007; (202) 295-1599 (phone); or nwankwoalab@lsc.gov.

Listening Sessions for Oral Comments

LSC will hold four listening sessions during which interested parties may join a Zoom call with LSC staff to provide their comments orally.

Wednesday March 13, 2024 at 10:30 am–12:30 pm

Friday, March 22, 2024 at 2:00 pm—4:00 pm

Tuesday, April 3, 2024 at 3:00 pm—5:00 pm

Monday, April 15,2024 at 1:00 pm—3:00 pm

Listening Session Access Information

To participate in the listening sessions via Zoom, please follow the link or use the dial-in instructions below: 

Link: https://lsc-gov.zoom.us/j/4396412186

Meeting ID: 439 641 2186

Dial-In: Find your local number: https://lsc-gov.zoom.us/u/kAZIVdfiA

Part 1638—Restrictions on Solicitation (2023)
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Oct. 25, 2023)

Deadline

The comments period closed on December 26, 2023.

Summary

This proposed rule revises the Legal Services Corporation (LSC or Corporation) regulation prohibiting solicitation of clients. LSC proposes to add definitions for “communicate” and “communication,” revise the existing text to make language more active, and clarify how recipients may interact with client-eligible individuals. The main goal of these revisions is to formalize the interpretations that the Office of Legal Affairs has issued over the past several years, making clear that recipients may inform client eligible individuals about their rights and responsibilities and provide them with information about the recipient's intake process, as well as how recipients may relay that information without violating either LSC's Fiscal Year 1996 appropriations statute or LSC's regulations.

The text of the proposed revisions to the rule with supplementary information and instructions for commenting are available in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking at 88 Fed. Reg. 73,303 or through the link below.

Further Information

For further information, please contact Elijah Johnson, Assistant General Counsel, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007; (202) 295–1638 (phone), or johnsone@lsc.gov.

 

Comments—The comment period closed on December 26, 2023.

Deadline

The deadline for comments was December 26, 2023.

Further Information

For further information, please contact Elijah Johnson, Assistant General Counsel, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007; (202) 295–1638 (phone), or johnsone@lsc.gov.