[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 69 (Tuesday, April 9, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 15758]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-8819]
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Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
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Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 69 / Tuesday, April 9, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 15758]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Consumer Service
Food Stamp Program: Agency Information Collection Activities:
Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Collection Methods for Food Stamp
Program Recipient Claims
AGENCY: Food and Consumer Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995 this notice announces the Food and Consumer Service's
(FCS's) intention to request Office of Management and Budget (OMB)
review of a proposed revision to an information collection. The
revision adds additional information requirements based on the Federal
Income Tax Refund Offset Program (FTROP) and the Federal Salary Offset
Program (Salary Offset).
DATES: Comments and recommendations on the proposed revision must be
received by June 10, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions
of the agency, including whether the information will have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the
proposed collection of information including the validity of the
methodology and assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality,
utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who are
to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Comments should be sent to James I. Porter, Issuance and
Accountability Section, State Administration Branch, Program
Accountability Division, Food and Consumer Service, 3101 Park Center
Drive, Room 905, Alexandria, Virginia 22302. Copies of the estimate of
the information collection can be obtained by contacting Mr. Porter.
All comments will be summarized and included in the request for
Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection.
All comments will become a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Porter at the above address or at
(703) 305-2385 during normal business hours.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is provided pursuant to 5 CFR
1320.5(a)(1)(iv):
Title: Federal Collection Methods for Food Stamp Program Recipient
Claims. (This is a new title for the collection. The current title is:
Expansion of Test of Offsetting Federal Income Tax Refunds, Recipient
Claims Collection.)
OMB Number: 0584-0446.
Expiration Date: September 27, 1996.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: Substantially all FTROP and Salary Offset procedures are
exchanges of information, and substantially all the procedures are
required by statute or regulation, as follows: 31 U.S.C. 2653(a), in
the case of FTROP; 5 U.S.C. 5514, in the case of Salary Offset; IRS
regulations at 26 CFR 301.6402-6, relating to both programs; and by
USDA regulations at 7 CFR 3.51-3.68 for Salary Offset. FTROP and Salary
Offset have proved to be effective methods for collection action on a
substantial portion of approximately $900 million in outstanding debt
for certain food stamp overissuances for which other collection methods
have not been successful. The information exchanged under the programs
is used to meet due process requirements, provide lists of debts for
collection from Federal income tax refunds and Federal salaries, and to
report on collections and related actions.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden for this collection of
information is estimated to average 450 hours for State agencies and 8
minutes for debtors.
Respondents: The collection impacts two groups, State agencies
which administer the Food Stamp Program, and certain individuals who
are liable for overissued food stamp benefits. State agencies which
choose to participate in FTROP and Salary Offset are required to
produce certain notices of intent to collect claims for overissued food
stamp benefits, respond to informal inquiries about them and in the
case of FTROP, if timely requests are received from debtors, to conduct
limited reviews of the intended debt collection. State agencies are
also required to provide automated data files of debts and among other
things, to process reports on the collection of the debts and to report
those debt collections. While debtors are not required to read or
otherwise act on notices of the intended collection actions, we expect
that most debtors do at least read the notices. Many debtors make
informal inquiries and a small percentage request reviews or hearings.
Estimated Number of Respondents: State agency participation in the
programs is approaching 52. Debtor respondents are estimated at 370,000
based on 320,000 FTROP due process notices; 40,000 informal inquiries
and 2,000 requests for review; 5,000 Salary Offset due process notices
from State agencies; 2,500 due process notices from FCS, and 500
informal inquiries and requests for hearings.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: For State agencies
the number of responses varies from once for such activities as
certifying files to FCS to 320,000 for mailing out FTROP due process
notices. For debtors the number of responses varies from once for such
things as due process notices to three or four in the case of debtors
making informal inquiries and requesting reviews.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The annual reporting
and recordkeeping burden is estimated at 72,862 hours: 23,423 hours for
State agencies, approximately 2,200 hours of which is recordkeeping;
49,439 hours for debtors, approximately 5,000 hours of which is
recordkeeping.
Dated: March 30, 1996.
William E. Ludwig,
Administrator, Food and Consumer Service.
[FR Doc. 96-8819 Filed 4-8-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-U
