[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 141 (Tuesday, July 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44092-44094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-17558]


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

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State 
Agency Options

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), 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 the proposed collection. This is a revision

[[Page 44093]]

of the currently approved burden for the Supplemental Nutrition 
Assistance Program (SNAP): State Agency Options information collection.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before September 23, 
2013.

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 that were 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 (FNS), 
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, or via email to [email protected].
    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 FNS 
office at 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia, 22302, Room 
800, during regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday 
through Friday).
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval. All 
comments will be a matter of public record.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State Agency 
Options
    OMB Number: 0584-0496
    Form Number: None
    Expiration Date: 11/30/2013
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved information 
collection.
    Abstract: The collections covered under OMB Number 0584-0496, 
address information and burden estimates associated with the following 
State Agency Options: Establishing and reviewing standard utility 
allowances and establishing methodology for offsetting cost of 
producing self-employment income.
    This notice revises the State Agency Options information collection 
for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to reflect 
changes in the number of States that have implemented the options 
herein and the change in burden since the previous revision. Federal 
regulations implementing SNAP application and certification procedures 
are contained in Parts 271, 272 and 273 of Title 7 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR). The regulations addressing State agency 
options specified in this collection are contained in 7 CFR part 273.
    The last two revisions of this collection extended the collection 
burden to account for changes required by the Farm Security and Rural 
Investment Act of 2002 (FSRIA) proposed and final rules. The Food, 
Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) made no changes to this 
collection. However, since the last renewal, there have been changes in 
the number of states that take the options in this collection. This 
collection revises the number of State agencies that have implemented 
the options herein as well as the burden associated with the 
collection.

Establishing and Reviewing Standard Utility Allowances

    The regulations at 7 CFR 273.9(d)(6)(iii) allow State agencies to 
establish standard utility allowances (SUA) in place of the actual 
utility costs incurred by a household. State agencies are required to 
review and adjust SUAs annually to reflect changes in the costs of 
utilities. State agencies are required to submit the amounts of 
standards when they are changed and methodologies used to develop and 
update the standards to FNS for approval when they are developed or 
changed.
    Estimates of burden: Currently, 50 State agencies have a standard 
that includes heating or cooling costs and 40 have a standard for 
utility costs other than heating or cooling. In addition, 52 State 
agencies have a telephone allowance standard. We estimate 52 State 
agencies will submit one request to adjust the SUAs, for a total annual 
response of 52 requests at a minimum of 2.5 hours annually (52 State 
agencies x 1 SUAs request = 52 total annual responses x 2.5 hours = 130 
hours). Total burden for this provision is estimated to be 130 hours 
per year. This burden activity remains unchanged from the previous 
submission.

Self-employment Costs

    The regulations at 7 CFR 273.11(b) allow self-employment income to 
be reduced by the cost of producing such income. The regulations allow 
the State agencies, with approval from FNS, to establish the 
methodology for offsetting the costs of producing self-employment 
income, as long as the procedure does not increase program costs.
    Estimates of burden: Based on the information provided in the Tenth 
Edition of the SNAP State Options Report, 18 State agencies have 
incorporated a methodology for determining the cost of doing business 
in self-employment cases. This is an increase from ten states in the 
2010 information collection. It is estimated that these 18 States will 
submit one request, totaling 18 annual responses. States will incur a 
burden of at least 10 working hours gathering and analyzing data, 
developing the methodology, determining the cost implication and 
submitting a request to FNS, for a total burden of 180 hours annually 
(18 State agencies x 1 request = 18 total annual responses x 10 working 
hours = 180 burden hours). This is an increase of 80 burden hours from 
the previous submission.

Record Keeping Burden Only

    All 53 State agencies are required to keep and maintain one record 
of the information gathered and submitted to FNS for the SUA and self-
employment options. It is estimated that this process will take 7 
minutes or .1169 hours per year for each State agency, resulting in a 
total annual burden of 6 hours (53 State agencies x 1 record = 53 total 
annual records x .1169 hours = 6 hours). This burden remains unchanged 
from the previous submission.
    The following table illustrates the burden estimates associated 
with the State agency options included in this collection.
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P

[[Page 44094]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN23JY13.000

    Estimated Annual Burden Summary for Reporting and Recordkeeping:
    Affected Public: State agencies and local governments administering 
SNAP.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53
    Estimated Annual Reports/Records Filed Per Respondent: 2.32
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 123
    Estimated Burden Hours per Response: 2.57
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 316

     Dated: July 11, 2013.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-17558 Filed 7-22-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-C