[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]


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 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
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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. 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.

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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