[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 134 (Wednesday, July 14, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40771-40774]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17183]



[[Page 40771]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Forms: 
Applications, Periodic Reporting and Notices

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 the proposed collection. This collection is a revision of the 
currently approved burden for the applications, periodic reporting, and 
notices burden calculations for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, which also 
reflects corrections resulting from the changes in recently published 
SNAP regulations.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before September 13, 
2010.

ADDRESSES: 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 shall 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 
respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology.
    Comments may be sent to Angela Kline, Chief, Certification Policy 
Branch, Program Development Division, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 812, 
Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be faxed to the attention of 
Ms. Kline at (703) 305-2486.
    Comments will also be accepted through the Federal eRulemaking 
Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments electronically.
    All written comments will be open for public inspection at the 
office of the Food and Nutrition Service during regular business hours 
(8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive, 
Alexandria, Virginia, 22302, Room 800.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All 
comments will be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information 
should be directed to Ms. Kline at (703) 305-2495.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Forms: 
Applications, Periodic Reporting and Notices.
    OMB Number: 0584-0064.
    Form Number: N/A.
    Expiration Date: 12/31/2010.
    Type of Request: Revision of the currently approved burden hours 
totaling 24,893,623 hours.
    Abstract: This notice extends the applications, periodic reporting, 
and notices burden calculations for the Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program (SNAP), which were recently revised and approved by 
the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on March 26, 2010, and also 
reflects corrections resulting from changes in the Farm Security and 
Rural Investment Act of 2002 (FSRIA) final rule, published on January 
29, 2010 (75 FR 4912). The SNAP regulations at 7 CFR Part 273 contain 
the requirements for the application, certification and continued 
eligibility of SNAP benefits.
    The correction referenced in the above paragraph pertains to the 
simplified reporting component under the previously approved 
collection. The simplified reporting burden estimate approved under OMB 
clearance number 0584-0064, Food Stamp Forms: Applications, Periodic 
Reporting, Notices, expiring on December 31, 2010, was improperly 
calculated. In analyzing the data used to determine the burden 
estimate, we noted that the number of households under a simplified 
reporting system was overestimated. As a result of this overestimation, 
the burden for simplified reporting was miscalculated. Based on this, 
we estimate that the total burden for this collection will decrease 
from 24,893,623 hours to 23,609,236 hours.
    Additionally, Section 4001(b) of Public Law 110-246, Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA), renamed the Food Stamp 
Program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. The 
new program name reflects the fact that participants no longer receive 
stamps or coupons to make food purchases and emphasizes the nutritional 
aspect of the program. To comply with current law, FNS is using the new 
program name SNAP in this extension of information collection for OMB 
No. 0584-0064. It should be noted, however, that the program 
regulations at 7 CFR Parts 271-285 have not yet been revised to reflect 
the new name.

Reporting Burden

    Initial Application for SNAP. Section 273.2 of the SNAP regulations 
requires that each applicant household complete and file an 
application, either in paper or electronic form. The application 
contains detailed information about each household member, income, and 
resources that is necessary to determine if the applicant household is 
entitled to assistance and, if so, the benefit amount. According to 
information reported by SNAP State agencies to FNS and compiled in the 
May 2009 National Data Bank Survey (NDB), there were 15,235,501 
households certified with initial applications in SNAP. FNS estimates a 
total household burden of 4,834,224 hours (15,235,501 initial 
certifications x .3173 hours (19 minutes) to complete application = 
4,834,224 burden hours). FNS estimates the State agency burden to be 
4,834,224 hours (15,235,501 initial certification applications x .3173 
hours to review applications = 4,834,224 burden hours).
    Application for SNAP Recertification. Section 273.14 of the SNAP 
regulations indicates that in order to continue participating in SNAP, 
ongoing households must apply for recertification prior to the end of 
their current certification periods. According to the May 2009 NDB 
report, there were 12,252,802 recertification applications in SNAP. FNS 
estimates a total household burden of 3,887,814 hours (12,252,802 
recertification applications x .3173 hours (or 19 minutes) to complete 
application = 3,887,814 burden hours). FNS estimates a burden of 
3,887,814 hours (12,252,802 recertification applications x .3173 hours 
(or 19 minutes) to review applications = 3,887,814 burden hours) for 
the State agency review process.
    Monthly Report. Under Sec.  273.21 of the SNAP regulations, 
households subject to monthly reporting are required to submit reports 
of their circumstances on a monthly basis. According to FNS 2008 
Quality Control data, a total of 86,142 households in two States 
(Minnesota and South Dakota) are subject to change reporting, resulting 
in a household burden of 110,770 hours (86,142 households x 11 reports 
per year x .1169 hours (or 7 minutes) to complete a

[[Page 40772]]

report = 110,770 burden hours). FNS estimates these State agencies will 
incur a burden of 174,067 hours (86,142 households x 11 reports per 
year x 0.1837 hours (or 11 minutes) to review each report = 174,067 
burden hours).
    Quarterly Report. Under Sec.  273.12(a)(4) of the SNAP regulations, 
State agencies may require households to report changes on a quarterly 
basis. Currently, California is the only state that requires households 
to report changes in circumstances on a quarterly basis. The May 2009 
NDB report indicates that 83 percent of California's caseload is under 
quarterly reporting, which results in 1,101,891 households. FNS 
estimates a household burden of 441,638 hours (1,101,891 household 
under quarterly reporting x 3 reports per year x .1336 hours (or 8 
minutes) to complete a report = 441,638 burden hours) for quarterly 
reporting. The State agency burden is estimated at 662,457 hours 
(1,101,891 household under quarterly reporting x 3 reports per year x 
.2004 hours (or 12 minutes) to review each report = 662,457 burden 
hours).
    Simplified Report. Section 273.12(a)(5) of the SNAP regulations 
allows State agencies to establish a simplified reporting system in 
which households certified for longer than 6 months must submit a 
periodic report that is due no later than the 6th month of their 
certification period. According to the FNS Office of Research and 
Analysis' 2008 data on SNAP reporting systems, a total of 6,238,761 
households are currently subject to simplified reporting. FNS estimates 
a household burden of 833,498 hours (6,238,761 reports x .1336 hours 
(or 8 minutes) to complete each periodic report = 833,498 burden 
hours). FNS estimates a burden of 1,146,060 hours (6,238,761 reports x 
.1837 hours (or 11 minutes) to review each report = 1,146,060 burden 
hours) for State agencies.
    Change Report. Under Sec.  273.12(a)(1) of the SNAP regulations, 
households not subject to monthly, quarterly reporting or simplified 
reporting must report most changes in household circumstances within 10 
days from the date that the change becomes known to the household. 
Based on information provided by State agencies in 2008 and compiled by 
FNS in the 2008 State Options Report, (dated June 2008) FNS estimates 
that 844,245 households assigned to change reporting each submit 2.5 
reports each year, resulting in a total of 176,236 burden hours per 
year (844,245 households x 2.5 reports x .0835 hours (or 5 minutes) per 
report = 176,236 burden hours) for households. FNS estimates a State 
agency burden total of 387,720 hours (844,245 households x 2.5 reports 
x .1837 hours (or 11 minutes) to review each report = 387,720 burden 
hours).
    Notice of Eligibility or Denial. According to Sec.  273.10(g)(1) of 
the SNAP regulations, State agencies provide these notices to advise 
households of the disposition of their application for initial 
certification or recertification. Based on the May 2009 NDB data, an 
estimated 32,600,716 eligibility and denial notices are issued annually 
by all 53 State agencies. This leads to an estimated burden of 
1,088,864 hours (32,600,716 notices x .0334 hours (or 2 minutes) per 
notice = 1,088,864 burden hours), for all 53 State agencies to generate 
and issue notices of approvals and denials of applications.

Other Notices

    Notice of Missing or Incomplete Report. The SNAP regulations 
require that State agencies advise ongoing households when they have 
failed to submit complete or timely periodic reports under monthly, 
quarterly or simplified reporting systems.
    Request for Contact (RFC). The RFC notice, as indicated in Sec.  
273.12(a)(3)(i) of the SNAP regulations, is used to contact the 
household when the State agency receives information regarding a 
potential change in a household's eligibility or benefits and such 
information is not sufficient for the State agency to determine exactly 
how the household's status would be affected.
    Notice of Missed Interview (NOMI). Per Sec.  273.14(b)(3)(ii) of 
the SNAP regulations, NOMIs are issued by State agencies to households 
that fail to appear for their scheduled initial or recertification 
interview, or in the case of households subject to telephone 
interviews, fail to contact the State agency or receive telephone calls 
initiated by the local office.
    Notice of Expiration (NOE). As indicated in Sec.  273.14(b)(1)(i) 
of the SNAP regulations, State agencies are required to mail an NOE to 
currently participating households at least 30 days prior to the 
expiration of their current certification period.
    Notice of Adverse Action (NOAA). The NOAA, as indicated in Sec.  
273.13(a) of the SNAP regulations, is issued by State agencies to 
participating households whose benefits will be reduced or terminated 
as the result of a change in household circumstances.
    Adequate Notice. As indicated in Sec.  273.13(a) of the SNAP 
regulations, an adequate notice is sent to households by the State 
agency when the household's benefits are reduced or terminated based on 
information reported by the household.
    Transitional Benefits Notice (TN). According to Sec.  273.26 of the 
SNAP regulations, States have the option to provide transitional 
benefits to families leaving the Temporary Assistance for Needy 
Families program (TANF).
    FNS estimates that a total of 21,089,658 notices (described as 
Other Notices) are issued annually by all 53 State agencies, with an 
average burden of 3 minutes or .0501 hours per notice. Based on this 
information, we estimate a total annual burden of 1,056,592 hours 
(21,089,658 notices x .0501 hours = 1,056,592 burden hours) for State 
agencies to generate and issue notices.

Recordkeeping Burden

    State agencies are required to maintain client case records for 3 
years and to perform duplicate participation checks on individual 
household members to ensure the member is not participating in more 
than one household.
    (A) Case Files: The caseload to be maintained is equal to the 
number of participating households and their subsequent files, 
including documentation (i.e., electronic files, caseworker written 
entries into the files, or hard copies of the documents) for notices 
which were sent to the households. FNS estimates that 253,862 documents 
will be sent to households in addition to the number of documents 
estimated and approved under the previous collection. The increase in 
recordkeeping burden associated with this revision is estimated to be 
8,479 hours (253,862 documents x .0334 hours = 8,479 burden hours).
    (B) Monitoring Duplicate Participation: The recordkeeping burden 
for maintaining this automated system is determined by multiplying the 
number of total applications expected to be received, the average 
number of persons (2.3) in each household, and the processing time per 
response (15 seconds or 0.0042 hours). Due to the rapid increase in 
caseload, 8,155,221 more applications than in the previously approved 
collection of 20,250,469 applications are expected to be received, thus 
increasing the estimated burden hours to 78,779 hours over the 
previously approved burden (8,155,221 applications x 2.3 average 
 of persons x .0042 hours = 78,779 burden hours).
    (C) The total recordkeeping burden estimated under this revision is 
87,258 hours.
    The following tables illustrate all of the components of the 
reporting and

[[Page 40773]]

recordkeeping burdens associated with this information collection.

                                                                        Reporting
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                                                                                                                                 Estimated
                                                                          Form      Estimated                    Total annual   avg. Number   Estimated
          Section of regulation                      Title            Number  (if   Number of    Report filed     responses/      of man-     total man-
                                                                          any)     respondents     annually         records      hours per      hours
                                                                                                                                  response
A                                         B.........................            C            D               E               F            G      H (Col.
                                                                                                                                                    FxG)
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                                                                   State Agency Level
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273.2(b)................................  Initial Application for     ...........           53      287,462.30      15,235,501        .3173    4,834,224
                                           SNAP.
273.10(g)(2) & 273.14(b)................  SNAP Recertification        ...........           53      231,184.94      12,252,802        .3173    3,887,814
                                           Applications.
273.21(a)...............................  Monthly Reports...........  ...........            2  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
                                          Households................  ...........       86,142           11.00         947,562        .1837      174,067
273.12(a)(4)............................  Quarterly Reports.........  ...........            1    3,305,673.00       3,305,673        .2004      662,457
273.12(a)(5)............................  Simplified Reporting--      ...........           50      124,775.22       6,238,761        .1837    1,146,060
                                            HH on SR.
273.12(a)(1)(i)(A)......................  Change Report--    ...........           32       65,956.65    2,110,612.80        .1837      387,720
                                           HH on CR.
273.10(g)(1)(i) & (ii)..................  Notice of Eligibility/      ...........           53      615,107.85      32,600,716        .0334    1,088,864
                                           Denial.
                                          Other Notices (not          ...........           53      397,918.08      21,089,658        .0501    1,056,592
                                           captured individually and
                                           included below).
273.12(a)(4)(iii); 273.12(a)(5)(iii)(D);  Notice of Missing/          ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
 273.12(a)(6)(i); 273.21(j)(2)(i).         Incomplete Report.
273.12(c)(3)(i).........................  Request for Contact.......  ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
273.10(b)(3)(iii).......................  Notice of Missed Interview  ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
273.2(i)(4)(iii)(A) & (B),                Notice of Expiration......  ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
 273.2(k)(1)(iii)(B)(2) & (E)(2).
273.13(a)...............................  Notice of Adverse Action..  ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
273.13(b)(3) & 273.13(c)................  Adequate Notice...........  ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
273.29..................................  Transitional Benefits       ...........           53               0               0            0            0
                                           Notice.
                                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    State Agency Level Totals...........                              ...........           53       5,028,089      93,781,286  ...........   13,237,798
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                                                                     Household Level
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273.2(b)................................  Initial Application for     ...........   15,235,501            1.00      15,235,501        .3173    4,834,224
                                           SNAP.
273.10(g)(2) & 273.14(b)................  SNAP Recertification        ...........   12,252,802            1.00      12,252,802        .3173    3,887,814
                                           Applications.
273.21(a)...............................  Monthly Report............  ...........       86,142           11.00         947,562        .1169      110,770
273.12(a)(4)............................  Quarterly Report..........  ...........    1,101,891            3.00       3,305,673        .1336      441,638
273.12(a)(5)............................  Simplified Report.........  ...........    6,238,761            1.00       6,238,761        .1336      833,498
273.12(a)(1)(i)(A)......................  Change Report.............  ...........      844,245            2.50       2,110,613        .0835      176,236
273.10(g)(1)(i) & (ii)..................  Notice of Eligibility/      ...........            0               0               0            0            0
                                           Denial.
                                          Other Notices (not          ...........            0               0               0            0            0
                                           captured individually and
                                           included below).
273.12(a)(4)(iii); 273.12(a)(5)(iii)(D);  Notice of Missing/          ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
 273.12(a)(6)(i); 273.21(j)(2)(i).         Incomplete Report.
273.12(c)(3)(i).........................  Request for Contact.......  ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
273.10(b)(3)(iii).......................  Notice of Missed Interview  ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
273.2(i)(4)(iii)(A) & (B),                Notice of Expiration......  ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
 273.2(k)(1)(iii)(B)(2) & (E)(2).
273.13(a)...............................  Notice of Adverse Action..  ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
273.13(b)(3) & 273.13(c)................  Adequate Notice...........  ...........  ...........  ..............  ..............  ...........  ...........
273.29..................................  Transitional Benefits       ...........            0               0               0            0            0
                                           Notice.
                                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Household Level Totals..............                              ...........   35,759,342            19.5      40,090,912  ...........   10,284,180
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                                                                      Recordkeeping
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                                                                                                                                 Estimated
                                                                                Form      Estimated      Report       Total     avg. no. of   Estimated
           Section of regulation                          Title              Number (if   Number of      filed        annual     man-hours    total man-
                                                                                any)     respondents    annually    responses       per         hours
                                                                                                                                  response
A                                            B............................            C            D            E      F (Col.            G      H (Col.
                                                                                                                          DxE)                      FxG)
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                                                                   State Agency Level
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Part 273...................................  Maintenance of Case Files....  ...........           53     4,789.85      253,862       0.0334        8,479
272.4......................................  Monitoring of Duplicate        ...........           53   353,905.81   18,757,008       0.0042       78,779
                                              Participation.
                                                                           -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    State Agency Level Totals..............  .............................  ...........           53   358,695.66   19,010,870  ...........       87,258
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[[Page 40774]]

Summary of Reporting Burden Hours

    Affected Public: State and local government agencies administering 
SNAP and Individuals/Households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 35,759,342: (State Agencies: 53 
and Households: 35,759,342).
    Estimated Number of Reports Filed Annually: State Agency: 5,028,089 
Households: 19.50.
    Estimated Number of Responses: 133,872,198: (State Agencies: 
93,781,286 and Households: 40,090,912).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden for Respondents: 23,521,978: (State 
Agencies: 13,237,798 and Households: 10,284,180).
    Estimated Total Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden Hours: 
23,521,978 + 87,258 = 23,609,236.

    Dated: July 7, 2010.
Audrey Rowe,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2010-17183 Filed 7-13-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P