Antitrust Law Daily Wrap Up, CONSUMER PROTECTION NEWS: FTC extends public comment deadlines on 13 agency matters, (Oct 28, 2013)

By Tobias J. Gillett, J.D., LL.M.

In light of the temporary closure of the FTC during the recent partial government shutdown, the FTC has extended the deadline for public comments on 13 matters currently before the agency, the FTC announced Friday.

The FTC has extended the deadlines on the following matters until November 12:

• The public comment periods for the consent agreements in the matters of Ganley Ford West, Inc. and Timonium Chrysler, Inc., which previously were scheduled to end on October 3, 2013.

• The public comment period for the consent agreement in the matter of TRENDnet, Inc., which previously was scheduled to end on October 4, 2013.

• The public comment periods for two divestiture applications in the matter of Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc., et al., which previously were respectively scheduled to end on October 24, 2013, and October 10, 2013.

• The public comment period for the consent agreement in the matter of Honeywell International, Inc., which previously was scheduled to end on October 15, 2013.

• The public comment period for the consent agreement in the matter of Nielsen Holdings, Inc., et al., which previously was scheduled to end on October 21, 2013.

• The public comment period for a divestiture application in the matter of Polypore International, Inc., which previously was scheduled to end on October 28, 2013.

• The public comment period for the consent agreement in the matter of Mylan, Inc., which previously was scheduled to end on October 28, 2013.

• The public comment period for the consent agreement in the matter of Actavis, Inc., which previously was scheduled to end on October 28, 2013.

The FTC has also extended the public comment period for three proceedings in which it has proposed to collect information in a manner subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA):

• The public comment period for the FTC proposal to extend through November 30, 2016, the Commission’s current authority (subject to the PRA) to collect information under its Consumer Product Warranty Rule. The public comment period previously was scheduled to end on October 4, 2013, but has now been extended until seven days after the publication of the Federal Register Notice that accompanies this news release.

• The public comment period for the FTC proposal to extend through January 31, 2017, the Commission’s authority (shared with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and also subject to the PRA) to collect information as part of enforcement of CFPB’s Regulation O. The comment period previously was scheduled to end on October 28, 2013, but has now been extended until November 13, 2013.

• The public comment period for the FTC proposal to extend through December 31, 2016, the Commission’s current authority (subject to the PRA) to collect information under its Affiliate Marketing Rule, which applies to certain motor vehicle dealers; and to collect information as part of enforcement (shared with the with CFPB and also subject to the PRA) of certain provisions of CFPB’s Regulation V. The comment period previously was scheduled to end on October 28, 2013, but has now been extended until November 13, 2013.

The move follows the extension of deadlines on two Children’s Online Privacy Protection Rule matters announced on October 23. In that action, the FTC set the deadlines for comments on Imperium, LLC’s verifiable parental consent proposal and Samet Privacy, LLC’s kidSAFE Seal COPPA safe harbor program for November 4, 2013, from their previous deadlines of October 9 and October 18 respectively.

Companies: Ganley Ford West, Inc.; Timonium Chrysler, Inc.; TRENDnet, Inc.; Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc.; Honeywell International, Inc.; Nielsen Holdings, Inc.; Polypore International, Inc.; Mylan, Inc.; Actavis, Inc.; Imperium, LLC; Samet Privacy, LLC

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