Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 1.djvu/609

 PUBLIC LAW 105-185-JUNE 23, 1998 112 STAT. 583 not exceed 11 percent of the premium for catastrophic risk protection that is used to define loss ratio,". SEC. 533. PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO CERTAIN INQUIRIES. Section 506 of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1506) is amended by adding at the end the following: "(s) PROCEDURES FOR RESPONDING TO CERTAIN INQUIRIES.— ''(1) PROCEDURES REQUIRED.—The Corporation shall establish procedures under which the Corporation will provide a ' final agency determination in response to an inquiry regarding the interpretation by the Corporation of this title or any regulation issued under this title. "(2) IMPLEMENTATION.— Not later than 180 days after the Deadline, date of enactment of this subsection, the Corporation shall Regulations, issue regulations to implement this subsection. At a minimum, the regulations shall establish— "(A) the manner in which inquiries described in paragraph (1) are required to be submitted to the Corporation; and "(B) a reasonable maximum number of days within which the Corporation will respond to all inquiries. "(3) EFFECT OF FAILURE TO TIMELY RESPOND.—If the Corporation fails to respond to an inquiry in accordance with the procedures established pursuant to this subsection, the person requesting the interpretation of this title or regulation may assume the interpretation is correct for the applicable reinsurance year.". SEC. 534. TIME PERIOD FOR RESPONDING TO SUBMISSION OF NEW POLICIES. Section 508(h) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following: "(10) TIME LIMITS FOR RESPONSE TO SUBMISSION OF NEW POLICIES.— "(A) IN GENERAL. —The Board shall establish a reasonable time period within which the Board shall approve or disapprove a proposal from a person regarding a new policy submitted in accordance with this subsection. "(B) EFFECT OF FAILURE TO MEET TIME LIMITS.—Except as provided in subparagraph (C), if the Board fails to provide a response to a proposal described in subparagraph (A) in accordance with subparagraph (A), the new policy shall be deemed to be approved by the Board for purposes of this subsection for the initial reinsurance year designated for the new poUcy in the request. "(C) EXCEPTIONS.— Subparagraph (B) shall not apply to a proposal submitted under this subsection if the Board and the person submitting the request agree to an extension of the time period.". SEC. 535. CROP INSURANCE STUDY. (a) IN GENERAL.— Not later than 90 days after the date of Deadline, enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall enter Contracts. into a contract, with 1 or more entities outside the Federal Government with expertise in the establishment and delivery of crop and revenue insurance to agricultural producers, under which the contractor shall conduct a study of crop insurance issues specified in the contract, including— 59-194O-98 -20:QL3Part1

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