Federal Register, Volume 62 Issue 49 (Thursday, March 13, 1997)

[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 49 (Thursday, March 13, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11811-11813]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-6358]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Consumer Service

Child Nutrition Programs; Income Eligibility Guidelines

AGENCY: Food and Consumer Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces the Department's annual adjustments to
the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be used in determining eligibility
for free and reduced price meals or free milk for the period from July
1, 1997 through June 30, 1998. These guidelines are used by schools,
institutions, and centers participating in the National School Lunch
Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program for Children,
Child and Adult Care Food Program and Commodity School Program. The
annual adjustments are required by section 9 of the National School
Lunch Act. The guidelines are intended to direct benefits to those
children most in need and are revised annually to account for changes
in the Consumer Price Index.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert M. Eadie, Chief, Policy and
Program Development Branch, Child Nutrition Division, FCS, USDA,
Alexandria, Virginia 22302, or by phone at (703) 305-2618.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This action is not a rule as defined by the
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612) and thus is exempt from
the provisions of that Act.

[[Page 11812]]

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (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 action is exempted from review by the Office of Management and
Budget under Executive Order 12866.
These programs are listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance under No. 10.553, No. 10.555, No. 10.556 and No. 10.558 and
are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, which requires
intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials. (See 7
CFR part 3015, subpart V, and the final rule related notice published
at 48 FR 29114, June 24, 1983.)

Background

Pursuant to sections 9(b)(1) and 17(c)(4) of the National School
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(1) and 42 U.S.C. 1766(c)(4)), and sections
3(a)(6) and 4(e)(1)(A) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C.
1772(a)(6) and 1773(e)(1)(A)), the Department annually issues the
Income Eligibility Guidelines for free and reduced price meals in the
National School Lunch Program (7 CFR part 210), School Breakfast
Program (7 CFR part 220), Child and Adult Care Food Program (7 CFR part
226), and Commodity School Program (7 CFR part 210), and the guidelines
for free milk in the Special Milk Program for Children (7 CFR part
215). These eligibility guidelines are based on the Federal income
poverty guidelines and are stated by household size.
The Department requires schools and institutions which charge for
meals separately from other fees to serve free meals to all children
from any household with income at or below 130 percent of the poverty
guidelines. The Department also requires such schools and institutions
to serve reduced price meals to all children from any household with
income higher than 130 percent of the poverty guidelines, but at or
below 185 percent of the poverty guidelines. Schools and institutions
participating in the Special Milk Program for Children may, at local
option, serve free milk to all children from any household with income
at or below 130 percent of the poverty guidelines.

Definition of Income

``Income,'' as the term is used in this Notice, means income before
any deductions such as income taxes, Social Security taxes, insurance
premiums, charitable contributions and bonds. It includes the
following: (1) Monetary compensation for services, including wages,
salary, commissions or fees; (2) net income from nonfarm self-
employment; (3) net income from farm self-employment; (4) Social
Security; (5) dividends or interest on savings or bonds or income from
estates or trusts; (6) net rental income; (7) public assistance or
welfare payments; (8) unemployment compensation; (9) government
civilian employee or military retirement, or pensions or veterans
payments; (10) private pensions or annuities; (11) alimony or child
support payments; (12) regular contributions from persons not living in
the household; (13) net royalties; and (14) other cash income. Other
cash income would include cash amounts received or withdrawn from any
source including savings, investments, trust accounts and other
resources which would be available to pay the price of a child's meal.
``Income,'' as the term is used in this Notice, does not include
any income or benefits received under any Federal programs which are
excluded from consideration as income by any legislative prohibition.
Furthermore, the value of meals or milk to children shall not be
considered as income to their households for other benefit programs in
accordance with the prohibitions in section 12(e) of the National
School Lunch Act and section 11(b) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966
(42 U.S.C. 1760(e) and 1780(b)).

The Income Eligibility Guidelines

The following are the Income Eligibility Guidelines to be effective
from July 1, 1997 through June 30, 1998. The Department's guidelines
for free meals and milk and reduced price meals were obtained by
multiplying the 1997 Federal income poverty guidelines by 1.30 and
1.85, respectively, and by rounding the result upward to the next whole
dollar. Weekly and monthly guidelines were computed by dividing annual
income by 52 and 12, respectively, and by rounding upward to the next
whole dollar.

Income Eligibility Guidelines
[Effective from July 1, 1997 to June 30, 1998]
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Federal poverty guidelines Reduced price meals--185% Free meals--130%
Household size --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual Month Week Annual Month Week Annual Month Week
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48 CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, GUAM AND TERRITORIES
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1.................................................... $7,890 $658 $152 $14,597 $1,217 $281 $10,257 $855 $198
2.................................................... 10,610 885 205 19,629 1,636 378 13,793 1,150 266
3.................................................... 13,330 1,111 257 24,661 2,056 475 17,329 1,445 334
4.................................................... 16,050 1,338 309 29,693 2,475 572 20,865 1,739 402
5.................................................... 18,770 1,565 361 34,725 2,894 668 24,401 2,034 470
6.................................................... 21,490 1,791 414 39,757 3,314 765 27,937 2,329 538
7.................................................... 24,210 2,018 466 44,789 3,733 862 31,473 2,623 606
8.................................................... 26,930 2,245 518 49,821 4,152 959 35,009 2,918 674
For each add'l family member add................. +2,720 +227 +53 +5,032 +420 +97 +3,536 +295 +68
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ALASKA
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1.................................................... $9,870 $823 $190 $18,260 $1,522 $352 $12,831 $1,070 $247
2.................................................... 13,270 1,106 256 24,550 2,046 473 17,251 1,438 332
3.................................................... 16,670 1,390 321 30,840 2,570 594 21,671 1,806 417
4.................................................... 20,070 1,673 386 37,130 3,095 715 26,091 2,175 502
5.................................................... 23,470 1,956 452 43,420 3,619 835 30,511 2,543 587
6.................................................... 26,870 2,240 517 49,710 4,143 956 34,931 2,911 672
7.................................................... 30,270 2,523 583 56,000 4,667 1,077 39,351 3,280 757

[[Page 11813]]

8.................................................... 33,670 2,806 648 62,290 5,191 1,198 43,771 3,648 842
For each add'l family member add................. +3,400 +284 +66 +6,290 +525 +121 +4,420 +369 +85
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HAWAII
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1.................................................... $9,070 $756 $175 $16,780 $1,399 $323 $11,791 $983 $227
2.................................................... 12,200 1,017 235 22,570 1,881 435 15,860 1,322 305
3.................................................... 15,330 1,278 295 28,361 2,364 546 19,929 1,661 384
4.................................................... 18,460 1,539 355 34,151 2,846 657 23,998 2,000 462
5.................................................... 21,590 1,800 416 39,942 3,329 769 28,067 2,339 540
6.................................................... 24,720 2,060 476 45,732 3,811 880 32,136 2,678 618
7.................................................... 27,850 2,321 536 51,523 4,294 991 36,205 3,018 697
8.................................................... 30,980 2,582 596 57,313 4,777 1,103 40,274 3,357 775
For each add'l family member add................. +3,130 +261 +61 +5,791 +483 +112 +4,069 +340 +79
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Authority: (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)(1))

Dated: February 13, 1997.
William E. Ludwig,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-6358 Filed 3-12-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P