[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31088-31089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15626]



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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 19, 1996 / 
Notices  

[[Page 31088]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Consumer Service


Food Stamp Program: Agency Information Collection Activities: 
Proposed Collection, Comment Request--Federal Collection of State 
Participation Reporting

AGENCY: Food and Consumer Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Food and Consumer Service (FCS) is publishing for public comment a 
summary of a proposed information collection. The proposed collection 
is an extension of collection currently approved under OMB No. 0584-
0081.

DATES: Comments on this notice must be received by August 19, 1996 to 
be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Send comments and requests for copies of this information 
collection to Joseph H. Pinto, Chief, State Administration Branch, Food 
Stamp Program, Food and Consumer Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, 
Alexandria, VA 22302. Copies of the estimate of the information 
collection can be obtained by contacting Mr. Pinto.
    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.
    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: Joseph H. Pinto, telephone number 
(703) 305-2383.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Form FCS-388, State Issuance and Participation Estimates.
    OMB Number: 0584-0081.
    Expiration Date: September 30, 1996.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Section 18(b) of the Food Stamp Act limits the value of 
allotments paid to food stamp 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 food stamp 
allotments to the extent necessary to stay within appropriated funding 
levels.
    Section 18(a) of the Food Stamp Act requires the Secretary of 
Agriculture to submit a monthly report to Congress setting forth the 
Secretary's best estimate of the second preceding month's expenditures 
for the Food Stamp Program as well as the cumulative total for the 
fiscal year. In each monthly report the Secretary is required to also 
state whether supplemental appropriations will be needed to support the 
operation of the program through the end of the fiscal year. The 
timeliness and accuracy of the data available to the Secretary prior to 
submitting this report will have a direct effect upon any request for 
supplemental appropriations that may be submitted and the manner in 
which allotments will be reduced if the supplemental appropriation is 
not provided. 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.
    Section 11(e)(12) of the Food Stamp Act requires that the State 
Plan of Operations shall provide for the submission of reports required 
by the Secretary of Agriculture. State agencies are required to report 
on a monthly basis on the FCS-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 FCS-388 report provides the necessary data 
for an early warning system to enable the Department to fulfil its 
reporting requirements to Congress.
    State agencies in general only submit one Statewide FCS-388 per 
month. The only exception is that State agencies which choose to 
operate an approved alternative issuance demonstration project such as 
cash-out or electronic benefits submit a separate report for each type 
of alternative issuance. With State agency automated information 
systems, the separate report for an alternative issuance demonstration 
project should have a negligible impact on the burden.
    In addition, State agencies are required to submit a project area 
breakdown on the FCS-388A of issuance and participation data twice a 
year. This data is useful in identifying project areas that are 
required to do photo identification of heads of households or to 
operate fraud detection units in accordance with the Act.
    Beginning July 1993, State agencies were allowed to submit the FCS-
388 data electronically to the national database files stored in FCS' 
Food Stamp Program Integrated Information System in lieu of a paper 
report. The voluntary changeover from paper to electronic reporting of 
FCS-388 data by States was done as part of FCS' State Cooperative Data 
Exchange (SCDEX) Project. This project is being expanded each year as 
more FCS forms are transformed to electronic formats for State data 
entry. As of April 1996, 45 State agencies submit the FCS-388 data 
electronically and 8 State agencies submit paper reports.
    Respondents: State agencies that administer the Food Stamp Program.
    Number of Respondents: 53.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent:
    Form FCS-388: 53 State agencies 12 times a year.
    Form FCS-388A: 53 State agencies twice a year.
    Estimate of Burden:
    Form FCS-388: The State agencies submit Form FCS-388 10 times per 
year at an estimate of 5.60 hours per

[[Page 31089]]

respondent, or 2,970 hours. The remaining two FCS-388 submissions with 
a public assistance (PA) and non-public assistance (NA) caseload 
breakout are covered under the FCS-388A twice a year submissions (see 
below).
    Form FCS-388A: The State agencies submit a more detailed FCS-388 
(with PA and NA breakout) twice a year and FCS-388A project area 
breakdown twice a year at an estimate of 14.8 hours per respondent, or 
1,572 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The annual reporting 
and recordkeeping burden for OMB No. 0584-0081 is estimated to be 4,542 
hours and is unchanged from the currently approved burden.

    Dated: June 6, 1996.
William E. Ludwig,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-15626 Filed 6-18-96; 8:45 am]
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