[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 31, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17027-17029]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07359]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and
Children (WIC): Income Eligibility Guidelines
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (``Department'') announces
adjusted income eligibility guidelines to be used by State agencies in
determining the income eligibility of persons applying to participate
in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and
Children Program (WIC). These income eligibility guidelines are to be
used in conjunction with the WIC Regulations.
DATES: Effective Date July 1, 2015.
[[Page 17028]]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Hines, Chief, Policy Branch,
Supplemental Food Programs Division, FNS, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive,
Alexandria, Virginia 22302, (703) 305-2746.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Executive Order 12866
This notice is exempt from review by the Office of Management and
Budget under Executive Order 12866.
Regulatory Flexibility Act
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 this
Act.
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
This notice does not contain reporting or recordkeeping
requirements subject to approval by the Office of Management and Budget
in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
3507).
Executive Order 12372
This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Programs under No. 10.557, and is subject to the provisions
of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation
with State and local officials (7 CFR part 3015, subpart V, 48 FR
29100, June 24, 1983, and 49 FR 22675, May 31, 1984).
Description
Section 17(d)(2)(A) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended
(42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(2)(A)), requires the Secretary of Agriculture to
establish income criteria to be used with nutritional risk criteria in
determining a person's eligibility for participation in the WIC
Program. The law provides that persons will be income-eligible for the
WIC Program only if they are members of families that satisfy the
income standard prescribed for reduced-price school meals under section
9(b) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
1758(b)). Under section 9(b), the income limit for reduced-price school
meals is 185 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines, as adjusted.
Section 9(b) also requires that these guidelines be revised annually to
reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index. The annual revision for
2015/2016 was published by the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS) at 80 FR 3236, January 22, 2015. The guidelines published by HHS
are referred to as the ``poverty guidelines.''
Section 246.7(d)(1) of the WIC regulations (Title 7, Code of
Federal Regulations) specifies that State agencies may prescribe income
guidelines either equaling the income guidelines established under
section 9 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act for
reduced-price school meals, or identical to State or local guidelines
for free or reduced-price health care. However, in conforming WIC
income guidelines to State or local health care guidelines, the State
cannot establish WIC guidelines which exceed the guidelines for
reduced-price school meals, or which are less than 100 percent of the
Federal poverty guidelines. Consistent with the method used to compute
income eligibility guidelines for reduced-price meals under the
National School Lunch Program, the poverty guidelines were multiplied
by 1.85 and the results rounded upward to the next whole dollar. At
this time, the Department is publishing the maximum and minimum WIC
income eligibility guidelines by household size for the period July 1,
2015, through June 30, 2016. Consistent with section 17(f)(17) of the
Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1786(f)(17)), a
State agency may implement the revised WIC income eligibility
guidelines concurrently with the implementation of income eligibility
guidelines under the Medicaid Program established under Title XIX of
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396, et seq.). State agencies may
coordinate implementation with the revised Medicaid guidelines, i.e.,
earlier in the year, but in no case may implementation take place later
than July 1, 2015.
State agencies that do not coordinate implementation with the
revised Medicaid guidelines must implement the WIC income eligibility
guidelines on July 1, 2015. The first table of this Notice contains the
income limits by household size for the 48 contiguous States, the
District of Columbia, and all Territories, including Guam.
Income Eligibility Guidelines
[Effective from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016]
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Federal poverty guidelines--100% Reduced price meals--185%
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Household size Twice- Twice-
Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly
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48 Contiguous States, D.C., Guam and Territories
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1......................................... $11,770 $981 $491 $453 $227 $21,775 $1,815 $908 $838 $419
2......................................... 15,930 1,328 664 613 307 29,471 2,456 1,228 1,134 567
3......................................... 20,090 1,675 838 773 387 37,167 3,098 1,549 1,430 715
4......................................... 24,250 2,021 1,011 933 467 44,863 3,739 1,870 1,726 863
5......................................... 28,410 2,368 1,184 1,093 547 52,559 4,380 2,190 2,022 1,011
6......................................... 32,570 2,715 1,358 1,253 627 60,255 5,022 2,511 2,318 1,159
7......................................... 36,730 3,061 1,531 1,413 707 67,951 5,663 2,832 2,614 1,307
8......................................... 40,890 3,408 1,704 1,573 787 75,647 6,304 3,152 2,910 1,455
Each add'l family member add.............. + $4,160 + $347 + $174 + $160 + $80 + $7,696 + $642 + $321 + $296 + $148
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Alaska
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1......................................... $14,720 $1,227 $614 $567 $284 $27,232 $2,270 $1,135 $1,048 $524
2......................................... 19,920 1,660 830 767 384 36,852 3,071 1,536 1,418 709
3......................................... 25,120 2,094 1,047 967 484 46,472 3,873 1,937 1,788 894
4......................................... 30,320 2,527 1,264 1,167 584 56,092 4,675 2,338 2,158 1,079
5......................................... 35,520 2,960 1,480 1,367 684 65,712 5,476 2,738 2,528 1,264
6......................................... 40,720 3,394 1,697 1,567 784 75,332 6,278 3,139 2,898 1,449
7......................................... 45,920 3,827 1,914 1,767 884 84,952 7,080 3,540 3,268 1,634
8......................................... 51,120 4,260 2,130 1,967 984 94,572 7,881 3,941 3,638 1,819
Each add'l family member add.............. + $5,200 + $434 + $217 + $200 + $100 + $9,620 + $802 + $401 + $370 + $185
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Hawaii
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1......................................... $13,550 $1,130 $565 $522 $261 $25,068 $2,089 $1,045 $965 $483
[[Page 17029]]
2......................................... 18,330 1,528 764 705 353 33,911 2,826 1,413 1,305 653
3......................................... 23,110 1,926 963 889 445 42,754 3,563 1,782 1,645 823
4......................................... 27,890 2,325 1,163 1,073 537 51,597 4,300 2,150 1,985 993
5......................................... 32,670 2,723 1,362 1,257 629 60,440 5,037 2,519 2,325 1,163
6......................................... 37,450 3,121 1,561 1,441 721 69,283 5,774 2,887 2,665 1,333
7......................................... 42,230 3,520 1,760 1,625 813 78,126 6,511 3,256 3,005 1,503
8......................................... 47,010 3,918 1,959 1,809 905 86,969 7,248 3,624 3,345 1,673
Each add'l family member add.............. + $4,780 + $399 + $200 + $184 + $92 + $8,843 + $737 + $369 + $341 + $171
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Income Eligibility Guidelines--Supplemental Chart for Family Sizes Greater Than Eight
[Effective from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016]
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Federal poverty guidelines--100% Reduced price meals--185%
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Household size Twice- Twice-
Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly
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48 Contiguous States, D.C., Guam and Territories
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9......................................... $45,050 $3,755 $1,878 $1,733 $867 $83,343 $6,946 $3,473 $3,206 $1,603
10........................................ 49,210 4,101 2,051 1,893 947 91,039 7,587 3,794 3,502 1,751
11........................................ 53,370 4,448 2,224 2,053 1,027 98,735 8,228 4,114 3,798 1,899
12........................................ 57,530 4,795 2,398 2,213 1,107 106,431 8,870 4,435 4,094 2,047
13........................................ 61,690 5,141 2,571 2,373 1,187 114,127 9,511 4,756 4,390 2,195
14........................................ 65,850 5,488 2,744 2,533 1,267 121,823 10,152 5,076 4,686 2,343
15........................................ 70,010 5,835 2,918 2,693 1,347 129,519 10,794 5,397 4,982 2,491
16........................................ 74,170 6,181 3,091 2,853 1,427 137,215 11,435 5,718 5,278 2,639
Each add'l family member add.............. + $4,160 + $347 + $174 + $160 + $80 + $7,696 + $642 + $321 + $296 + $148
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Alaska
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9......................................... $56,320 $4,694 $2,347 $2,167 $1,084 $104,192 $8,683 $4,342 $4,008 $2,004
10........................................ 61,520 5,127 2,564 2,367 1,184 113,812 9,485 4,743 4,378 2,189
11........................................ 66,720 5,560 2,780 2,567 1,284 123,432 10,286 5,143 4,748 2,374
12........................................ 71,920 5,994 2,997 2,767 1,384 133,052 11,088 5,544 5,118 2,559
13........................................ 77,120 6,427 3,214 2,967 1,484 142,672 11,890 5,945 5,488 2,744
14........................................ 82,320 6,860 3,430 3,167 1,584 152,292 12,691 6,346 5,858 2,929
15........................................ 87,520 7,294 3,647 3,367 1,684 161,912 13,493 6,747 6,228 3,114
16........................................ 92,720 7,727 3,864 3,567 1,784 171,532 14,295 7,148 6,598 3,299
Each add'l family member add.............. + $5,200 + $434 + $217 + $200 + $100 + $9,620 + $802 + $401 + $370 + $185
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Hawaii
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9......................................... $51,790 $4,316 $2,158 $1,992 $996 $95,812 $7,985 $3,993 $3,686 $1,843
10........................................ 56,570 4,715 2,358 2,176 1,088 104,655 8,722 4,361 4,026 2,013
11........................................ 61,350 5,113 2,557 2,360 1,180 113,498 9,459 4,730 4,366 2,183
12........................................ 66,130 5,511 2,756 2,544 1,272 122,341 10,196 5,098 4,706 2,353
13........................................ 70,910 5,910 2,955 2,728 1,364 131,184 10,932 5,466 5,046 2,523
14........................................ 75,690 6,308 3,154 2,912 1,456 140,027 11,669 5,835 5,386 2,693
15........................................ 80,470 6,706 3,353 3,095 1,548 148,870 12,406 6,203 5,726 2,863
16........................................ 85,250 7,105 3,553 3,279 1,640 157,713 13,143 6,572 6,066 3,033
Each add'l family member add.............. + $4,780 + $399 + $200 + $184 + $92 + $8,843 + $737 + $369 + $341 + $171
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Because the poverty guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii are higher
than for the 48 contiguous States, separate tables for Alaska and
Hawaii have been included for the convenience of the State agencies.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1786.
Dated: March 26, 2015.
Jeffrey J. Tribiano,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-07359 Filed 3-30-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P