[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 61 (Monday, March 31, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15427-15428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-7608]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Form FNS-471, Coupon Account and Destruction Report

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on a proposed revision of a currently approved information collection 
contained in Form FNS-471, Coupon Account and Destruction Report.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before May 30, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Send comments and requests for copies of this information 
collection to: Lizbeth Silbermann, Chief, Electronic Benefits Transfer 
Branch, Benefit Redemption Division, Food and Nutrition 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

[[Page 15428]]

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 responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All 
comments will also become a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lizbeth Silbermann, Chief, Electronic 
Benefits Transfer Branch, (703) 305-2517.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Coupon Account and Destruction Report.
    OMB Number: 0584-0053.
    Form Number: FNS-471.
    Expiration Date: 03/31/2003.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection
    Abstract: Section 7(d) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, (7 U.S.C. 
2016(d)), requires that State agencies determine and monitor food stamp 
coupon inventories. Section 7(f) requires that the States are strictly 
liable for all coupon losses except when the coupons are sent through 
the mail. The Food Stamp Program regulations at 7 CFR 274.7(f)-(h) 
require State agencies to properly dispose of certain coupons received 
at issuance, claims collection, inventory, and bulk storage points. 
These are destroyed within 30 days after the end of the month in which 
the coupons are received if the coupons are not suitable for a return 
to inventories. These include mutilated coupons, improperly 
manufactured coupons, or old-series coupons being exchanged for current 
series coupons. Coupons may be returned to local offices if found by 
the public, returned by recipients as payment on claims, or returned 
for other reasons. These coupons will likely be destroyed rather than 
returned to inventories and the FNS-471 is the document used to account 
for amounts destroyed.
    Food Stamp Program coupons are Federal obligations and must be 
accounted for by denomination and value whether loose or in book form. 
The FNS-471, Coupon Account and Destruction Report, is completed by 
staff in local offices and sent to destruction points where the 
destruction point staff sign the form certifying destruction has 
occurred. A signed copy is returned to the originating local office. 
The FNS-471 is attached as documentation to other monthly coupon 
accountability reports.

Estimate of Burden

    The proposed revision to the information collection burden for the 
FNS-471 reflects a reduction because of the legislated change from 
paper coupon issuance to electronic benefits transfer (EBT) issuance 
systems. Currently, just over 90 percent of Food Stamp Program benefits 
are issued using EBT systems. This leaves a small and declining portion 
in the form of paper coupons. Coupon issuance declines as State 
agencies implement Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) systems and 
eliminate coupons. Based on State EBT implementation schedules, there 
should be no coupon issuance by January 2005. In Fiscal Year 2002, the 
amount of coupons issued was $2.59 billion, down from $6.2 billion in 
Fiscal Year 1999 when this collection burden was last renewed. This 
represents a reduction of about 58 percent. The number of respondents 
is being reduced using the same percentage from 9,276 to 3,896 
respondents. The estimated time per response is 7 minutes to complete 
the form and the forms are used monthly. The resulting burden hours are 
5,454 hours annually.
    Affected Public: State and local government employees and 
recipients.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,896.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 12.
    Estimated Time per Response: 7 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 5,454 hours annually.

    Dated: March 25, 2003.
George A. Braley,
Associate Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 03-7608 Filed 3-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P