[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 10, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52813-52814]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18972]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request--Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State
Issuance and Participation Estimates--Recordkeeping for Forms FNS-388
and FNS-388A
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is publishing for public comment a
summary of a proposed information collection. This is a revision of a
currently approved collection for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP), the forms FNS-388, State Issuance and Participation
Estimates, and FNS-388A, Project Area Data Format. The reporting burden
for forms FNS-388 and FNS-388A were merged in 2015 with the burden for
the Food Programs Reporting System (OMB control number 0584-0594,
expiration date June 30, 2019). This 60-day notice serves to renew the
recordkeeping burden only for these two forms.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before October 11, 2016.
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 shall 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 use of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms
of information technology.
Comments may be sent to Jane Duffield, Chief, State Administration
Branch, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room
818, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted via email to
[email protected]. Comments will also be accepted through the
federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov, and
follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will
become a matter of public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection should be directed to Ralph
Badette at 703-457-7717.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: State Issuance and Participation Estimates.
Form Number: FNS-388 and FNS-388A.
OMB Number: 0584-0081.
Expiration Date: July 31, 2016.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: Section 18(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act, (the Act) 7
U.S.C. 2027(b), limits the value of allotments paid to SNAP households
to an amount not in excess of the appropriation for the fiscal year. If
allotments in any fiscal year would exceed the appropriation, the
Secretary of Agriculture is required to direct State agencies to reduce
the value of SNAP allotments to the extent necessary to stay within
appropriated funding limits. Timely State monthly issuance estimates
are necessary for FNS to ensure that it remains within the
appropriation. The estimates will also have a direct effect upon the
manner in which allotments would be reduced if necessary. While benefit
reductions have never been ordered in the past under section 18(b) nor
are they anticipated based on current data, the Department must
continue to monitor actual program costs against the appropriation. The
reporting burden for forms FNS-388 and FNS-388A was merged in 2015 with
the burden for the Food Programs Reporting System (OMB control number
0584-0594, expiration date June 30, 2019). This 60-day notice serves to
renew the recordkeeping burden only for these two forms.
Section 11(e)(12) of the Food and Nutrition Act, 7 U.S.C. 2020
(e)(12), requires that the State Plan of Operations provide for the
submission of reports required by the Secretary of Agriculture. State
agencies are required to report on a monthly basis on the FNS-388,
State Issuance and Participation Estimates, estimated or actual
issuance and participation data for the current month and previous
month, and actual participation data for the second preceding month.
The FNS-388 report provides the necessary data for an early warning
system to enable the Department to monitor actual and estimated costs
for all benefit types against the appropriation.
Disaster SNAP is authorized by sections 402 and 502 of the Robert
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C.
5121 et seq.) and the temporary emergency provisions contained in
Section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, and in 7 CFR part 280
of the SNAP regulations. State agencies may request FNS approval to
operate a Disaster SNAP in an area that has received a Presidential
declaration as a Major Disaster area eligible for Individual
Assistance. In accordance with 7 CFR 274.4, State agencies shall keep
records and report SNAP participation and issuance totals to FNS.
State agencies in general only submit one statewide FNS-388 per
month, which covers benefits from their Electronic Benefit Transfer
(EBT) system. The exception is State agencies that choose to operate an
approved alternative issuance demonstration project such as a cash-out
system submit a separate report for each additional type of issuance
system. As a result of the reporting burden for these forms being
merged with 0584-0594, the collective burden will be reduced by 5,187
hours. The remaining 17.28 hours represents the State recordkeeping
burden for these forms. Per 7 CFR 272.1(f), State agencies are required
to retain all records associated with the administration of SNAP for no
less than
[[Page 52814]]
3 years. The recordkeeping burden has not changed.
Affected Public: State agencies that administer SNAP.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 13.58.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 719.74 rounded up to 720.
Estimated Hours per Response: .024.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: This revised annual
recordkeeping burden for OMB No. 0584-0081, is 17.28 hours. The current
burden inventory for this collection is 5,187 hours. This decrease is a
result merging the reporting burden to OMB# 0584-0594 collection. See
the table below for estimated total annual burden.
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Time per Annual
Affected public Forms Number of Frequency of Total annual response recordkeeping
recordkeepers response records (hours) hours
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State Agencies............................ FNS-388..................... 53 11.32 600 .024 14.4
FNS-388A.................... 53 2.26 120 .024 2.88
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Record-keeping Burden..................... ............................ 53 13.58 720 0.024 17.28
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Dated: July 12, 2016.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-18972 Filed 8-9-16; 8:45 am]
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