[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 17 (Friday, January 25, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5407-5409]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-01550]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 17 / Friday, January 25, 2013 / 
Notices  

[[Page 5407]]



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.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
Notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on proposed information collections. This collection is an extension, 
without change, of a currently approved burden for the applications, 
periodic reporting and notices burden calculations for the Supplemental 
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before March 26, 2013 
to be assured consideration.

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 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.
    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 submitted via fax to the 
attention of Angela 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 comments will be open for public inspection during regular 
business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday) at the 
office of the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 800, Alexandria, Virginia 
22302.
    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: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Angela 
Kline at 703-305-2495.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Title: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Forms: 
Applications, Periodic Reporting and Notices.
    OMB Number: 0584-0064.
    Form Number: None.
    Expiration Date: March 31, 2013.
    Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: This notice extends the Applications, Periodic Reporting 
and Notices burden for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 
(SNAP). The Federal procedures for implementing the application and 
certification procedures in the Act are in Parts 271, 272 and 273 of 
the Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulation. Part 271 contains 
general information and definitions, Part 272 contains requirements for 
participating State agencies and Part 273 contains procedures for the 
certification of eligible households.
    FNS is currently undertaking an extensive review of the burden 
associated with the application and certification procedures for SNAP. 
The Agency anticipates releasing a revised Notice within 2013, to 
reflect the results of this research. This Notice serves to extend the 
existing burden estimates.

Reporting Burden

Application To Participate in 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 and their income, employment, shelter expenses, 
medical expenses (if applicable) and resources that is necessary to 
determine if the applicant household is entitled to assistance. The 
application process also includes verification of certain information 
provided on the application and an interview where the State agency 
worker asks a series of questions and clarifies information from the 
application.

Application for SNAP Recertification

    Section 273.10(f) of the regulations requires that all households 
participating in SNAP be assigned certification periods of a definite 
length. Under section 273.14, in order to continue participating in 
SNAP, ongoing households must apply for recertification prior to the 
end of their current certification periods. The recertification process 
also includes the verification of information, if it has changed, and 
an interview.

Periodic Reports

    Monthly Reports--Under section 273.21, households subject to 
monthly reporting are required to submit reports of their circumstances 
on a monthly basis. The report requests the information necessary to 
determine eligibility and benefits of affected households. Households 
subject to monthly reporting are assigned certification periods of 12 
months and submit 11 monthly reports a year plus the application for 
recertification.
    Quarterly Reports--Per section 273.12 (a)(4), State agencies may 
require households to report changes on a quarterly basis. Since 
households are not required to submit a separate quarterly report when 
they submit an application for recertification, the quarterly report is 
submitted 3 times a year.
    Simplified or Periodic Reports--Section 273.12(a)(5), allows State 
agencies to establish a simplified reporting (SR) system, under which 
most households are only required to

[[Page 5408]]

report when the household's gross monthly income exceeds 130 percent of 
the Federal poverty level or when an able-bodied adult without 
dependents (ABAWD) does not meet the minimum weekly work hour 
requirement. State agencies have the option of including most 
households assigned a certification period of at least 4 months in 
their SR systems; households assigned certification periods greater 
than 6 months must submit a periodic report by the sixth month. State 
agencies may opt to require households to submit periodic reports at 
intervals from every 4 months to every 6 months. SR households that are 
certified for longer than 6 months must submit a periodic report.
    Change Reports--Under section 273.12(a), households not subject to 
one of the periodic reporting systems (monthly, quarterly reporting or 
simplified reporting) are assigned to a reporting system commonly 
referred to as change or incident reporting. Households assigned to 
change reporting must report most changes in household circumstances 
within 10 days from the date that the change becomes known to the 
household.

Notices

    Notice of Eligibility or Denial--This notice is used by State 
agencies to advise households of the disposition of their application 
for initial certification or recertification. If the household is 
denied, the notice contains the reason(s) for the denial and advises 
the household of its right to appeal.
    Notice of Late/Incomplete Report--This notice is used by State 
agencies to advise ongoing households when they have failed to submit 
the required monthly, quarterly or semiannual report altogether or, if 
the household submitted an incomplete report.
    Notice of Missed Interviews (NOMI)--As the name implies, the NOMI 
is 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. The 
household may respond to the notice by requesting that the interview be 
rescheduled.
    Notice of Expiration (NOE)--State agencies are required to mail a 
NOE to currently participating households at least 30 days prior to the 
expiration of their current certification period. The NOE is usually 
accompanied by the Application for Recertification. The NOE advises the 
household that its certification period is expiring and that to 
continue receiving assistance; the household must file its application 
for recertification in a timely manner.
    Notice of Adverse Action (NOAA)--The NOAA 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--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 itself. Adequate notices 
can also be used when mass changes occur. Mass changes are certain 
changes initiated by the State or Federal government that may affect 
the entire caseload or significant portions of the caseload.
    Request for Contact (RFC)--The RFC notice 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.
    Transitional Benefits Notice (TN)--State agencies that opt to 
provide transitional benefits must provide eligible families a TN that 
includes detailed and specific information about the household's 
transitional benefits and rights. Because the TN and the NOE are very 
similar, the reporting burden associated with the TN is included in the 
reporting burden for the NOE.

Recordkeeping

    Case Records--State agencies must keep records as may be necessary 
to ascertain whether the program is being conducted in compliance with 
the Act and the regulations. The Act and Section 272.1(f) of the 
regulations require States to maintain such records for a period of 3 
years from date of origin. States are allowed to store records using 
automated retrieval systems and other features that do not rely 
exclusively on the collection and retention of paper records.
    Duplicate Participation System--Section 272.4(e) of the regulations 
require State agencies to search their files for duplicates in order to 
prevent individuals from receiving benefits in more than one household 
and to prevent households from receiving benefits in more than one 
jurisdiction within the State. The Act further requires State agencies 
to establish a system that will prevent an individual from receiving 
both food coupons and cash benefits in lieu of coupons in an SSI cash-
out State or under a cash-out demonstration project.
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P

[[Page 5409]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN25JA13.000

Summary of Estimated Burden

    Affected Public: State and local government agencies administering 
SNAP and Individuals/Households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 14,910,993.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 19.820.
    Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 295,530,563.
    Estimated Hours per Response: .0842.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden: 24,898,223.

    Dated: January 18, 2013.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-01550 Filed 1-24-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-C