[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 76 (Wednesday, April 20, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-9491]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: April 20, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service

 

Food Stamp Program; Public Hearing To Discuss a Test To Measure 
the Impact of Regulation E on Electronic Benefit Transfer

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

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DATE AND TIME: Tuesday, May 10, 1994, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

LOCATION: Crystal Gateway Marriott, 1700 Jefferson Davis Highway, 
Arlington, VA.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jeff Cohen, Supervisor, Demonstration Projects Section, room 718, 
Program Development Division, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, 3101 
Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302, (703) 305-2517. To 
confirm attendance, please contact Lillian Clemena at (703) 305-1119. 
Confirmation of attendance is encouraged, but is not mandatory for 
participation in the public hearing.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is not a rule as defined by the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 (5 U.S.C. 601-612) and thus is 
exempt from the provisions of that Act. In accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 (44 U.S.C. 3507), no new recordkeeping 
or reporting requirements have been included that are subject to 
approval from the Office of Management and Budget.
    This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance under No. 10.551. For the reasons set forth in the final 
rule and related Notice(s) to 7 CFR part 3105, subpart V (48 FR 29115, 
June 24, 1983; or 48 FR 54317, December 1, 1983, as appropriate), this 
Program is excluded from the scope of Executive Order 12372 which 
requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials.

PURPOSE OF HEARING: The Federal Reserve Board published a final rule 
(59 FR 10678, March 7, 1994) which applies the provisions of Regulation 
E and the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (15 U.S.C. 1693) to Electronic 
Benefit Transfer (EBT) systems. Regulation E provides a basic framework 
establishing the rights, liabilities and responsibilities of 
participants such as financial institutions and their customers in 
electronic funds transfer systems. EBT systems are benefit delivery 
systems that utilize plastic access cards and electronic funds transfer 
technologies to deliver food stamp and various cash benefits to 
eligible participants. The final rule gives States and Federal agencies 
until March 1, 1997 to comply with the provisions of Regulation E. 
During the three years until mandatory compliance, the Department is 
planning a test of the impact of this regulation on EBT. The test will 
be coordinated by the Department, the Administration for Children and 
Families of the Department of Health and Human Services, and the 
Financial Management Service of the Department of the Treasury.
    The purpose of the public hearing is to offer State agencies, 
advocacy groups, financial institutions, and other interested parties 
an opportunity for public dialogue on issues concerning the design and 
subsequent assessment of the test.

    Dated: April 14, 1994.
William E. Ludwig,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 94-9491 Filed 4-19-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-M