[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 162 (Tuesday, August 20, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43036-43037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21212]
========================================================================
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.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 162 / Tuesday, August 20, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 43036]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Consumer Service
Food Stamp Program; Agency Information Collection Activities:
Proposed Collection; Comment Request--Model Food Stamp Forms, etc.
(Monthly Reporting on Reservations)
AGENCY: Food and Consumer Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
notice announces the intention of the Food and Consumer Service to
request that the Office of Management and Budget extend extension of
the current information collection burden associated with the
application, eligibility certification, and ongoing household
eligibility determination for the Food Stamp households residing on
reservations.
DATES: Comments and recommendations on the proposed information
collection must be received by October 21, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Send comments and requests for copies of this information
collection to Margaret Werts Batko, Assistant Branch Chief,
Certification Policy Branch, Program Development Division, Food and
Consumer Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center
Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302.
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; (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.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of the
extension request. All comments will become a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Margaret Werts Batko, (703) 305-2520.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Model Food Stamp Forms, Periodic Reporting, Notice of Late/
Incomplete Reports, etc.
OMB Number: 0584-0064.
Expiration Date: April 30, 1997.
Form Number: FCS-385.
Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved information
collection without change.
Abstract: On March 25, 1994, the Food Stamp Program Improvements
Act of 1994, Pub. L. 103-225, was enacted. Section 101(a) of that law
modified the prohibition against monthly reporting for households
residing on reservations that had been added to section 6(c)(1)(A) of
the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (Act), by section 1723 of the Mickey Leland
Memorial Domestic Hunger Relief Act of 1990, Pub. L. 101-624. Section
6(c)(1)(C)(iii) of the Act, as amended by Pub. L. 103-225, prohibits
State agencies which, as of March 25, 1994, were not requiring
households residing on reservations to submit monthly reports, from
establishing monthly reporting requirements for such households. State
agencies that were using monthly reporting on March 25, 1994, for
households residing on reservations, may continue to do so if the
following conditions are met. The State agency must: (1) reinstate
benefits without requiring a new application for any household that
submits a report not later than one month after the end of the issuance
month; (2) not delay, reduce, suspend, or terminate the allotment of a
household that submits a report not later than one month after the end
of the month in which the report is due; and (3) certify monthly
reporting households on reservations for two years, unless the State
agency has been granted a waiver for shorter certification periods.
The information collection and recordkeeping burden associated with
initial applicants and households subject to recertification and change
reporting procedures are currently approved by OMB under OMB Number
0584-0064. The currently approved estimates are described below. The
new monthly reporting requirements for households residing on
reservations will not have a significant effect on the currently
approved burden estimates for the reasons noted.
1. Notice of Late or Incomplete Reports:
Estimate of Burden: Currently, local agencies are required to
provide a monthly reporting household with adequate notice that its
monthly report was late or incomplete and what action the household
must take. In order to implement Pub. L. 103-225 the State agency must
modify this notice for households residing on reservations. The burden
associated with developing the special language for a notice for those
residing on reservations is expected to be a one-time minimal burden.
We expect that State agencies will automate the notice and eligibility
workers will only have to send the notice with the special language to
households residing on reservations which failed to submit a timely or
complete report. The current reporting burden estimate includes the
local agency requirement to provide monthly reporting households with a
notice that its monthly report was late or incomplete and what action
the household must take.
Respondents: Local agency food stamp eligibility workers.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,776,000 which is equal to the
total monthly reporting caseload (16% of the total caseload), assuming
there is one eligibility worker per monthly reporting household.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: One notice for each
late or incomplete monthly report each month.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 118,814 hours, based
on 1,065,600 responses (5% of the 21,312,000 reports expected annually)
at a rate of .1115 hours per response.
2. Adequate Notice: Local agencies are required to provide monthly
reporting households with an Adequate Notice that its benefits will be
increased, reduced or terminated due to
[[Page 43037]]
information contained in the households monthly report and the notice
includes an explanation of the reason for such action and how the
household can request a fair hearing to contest the action.
In order to implement Public Law 103-225, the State agency must
modify the notice for households residing on reservations. Eligibility
workers will only have to send the notice with the special language to
households residing on reservations which fail to submit a timely or
complete report. The current reporting burden estimate includes a local
agency requirement to provide monthly reporting households with a
notice. The burden associated with developing the special language for
the notice for those residing on reservations is expected to be a one-
time minimal burden. We expect that State agencies will automate
generation and distribution of the notice when required.
Respondents: Local agency food stamp eligibility workers.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,776,000, based on an estimated
16% of the total caseload of 11,100,000 and assuming one eligibility
worker per monthly reporting household.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: One notice for each
monthly reporting household that has a change in benefits.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 712,886 hours, based
on 21,312,000 monthly reports expected annually. The estimate assumes
that 30% of the households (6,393,600) will have a change in benefits.
We assume that local agencies will generate this notice for these
households at a rate of .1115 hours per response.
3. Model food stamp application (FCS-385):
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting burden includes household
burden time to complete the application at initial application and
recertification; to provide verification (usually from existing
household documents); and to be interviewed by a caseworker, who may
require the household to provide additional information. Pub. L. 103-
225 requires that households residing on reservations be certified for
two years. Therefore, these households will have to apply less often.
However, we do not expect this to effect the current burden estimates
for FCS-385 because the methodology used in developing the estimates
takes into consideration increased or reduced application activity.
Respondents: Applicants for the Food Stamp Program.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 18,700,000 applicants for initial
certification or recertification annually, as reported by State
agencies on form FNS-366B, Program Activity Statement.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: One annually,
assuming one initial or one recertification application annually.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 4,282,300 hours,
based on 18,700,000 responses at a rate of .2290 hours per response.
Combined Total Annual Burden: 5,114,000 hours for the notice of
late and incomplete reports, adequate notice and application form.
Dated: August 8, 1996.
William E. Ludwig,
Administrator, Food and Consumer Service.
[FR Doc. 96-21212 Filed 8-19-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-U
