[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 154 (Wednesday, August 10, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 52813-52814]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-18972]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State 
Issuance and Participation Estimates--Recordkeeping for Forms FNS-388 
and FNS-388A

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is publishing for public comment a 
summary of a proposed information collection. This is a revision of a 
currently approved collection for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program (SNAP), the forms FNS-388, State Issuance and Participation 
Estimates, and FNS-388A, Project Area Data Format. The reporting burden 
for forms FNS-388 and FNS-388A were merged in 2015 with the burden for 
the Food Programs Reporting System (OMB control number 0584-0594, 
expiration date June 30, 2019). This 60-day notice serves to renew the 
recordkeeping burden only for these two forms.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before October 11, 2016.

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; and (d) ways 
to minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.
    Comments may be sent to Jane Duffield, Chief, State Administration 
Branch, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 
818, Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may also be submitted 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 responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. 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 Ralph 
Badette at 703-457-7717.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: State Issuance and Participation Estimates.
    Form Number: FNS-388 and FNS-388A.
    OMB Number: 0584-0081.
    Expiration Date: July 31, 2016.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: Section 18(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act, (the Act) 7 
U.S.C. 2027(b), limits the value of allotments paid to SNAP households 
to an amount not in excess of the appropriation for the fiscal year. If 
allotments in any fiscal year would exceed the appropriation, the 
Secretary of Agriculture is required to direct State agencies to reduce 
the value of SNAP allotments to the extent necessary to stay within 
appropriated funding limits. Timely State monthly issuance estimates 
are necessary for FNS to ensure that it remains within the 
appropriation. The estimates will also have a direct effect upon the 
manner in which allotments would be reduced if necessary. While benefit 
reductions have never been ordered in the past under section 18(b) nor 
are they anticipated based on current data, the Department must 
continue to monitor actual program costs against the appropriation. The 
reporting burden for forms FNS-388 and FNS-388A was merged in 2015 with 
the burden for the Food Programs Reporting System (OMB control number 
0584-0594, expiration date June 30, 2019). This 60-day notice serves to 
renew the recordkeeping burden only for these two forms.
    Section 11(e)(12) of the Food and Nutrition Act, 7 U.S.C. 2020 
(e)(12), requires that the State Plan of Operations provide for the 
submission of reports required by the Secretary of Agriculture. State 
agencies are required to report on a monthly basis on the FNS-388, 
State Issuance and Participation Estimates, estimated or actual 
issuance and participation data for the current month and previous 
month, and actual participation data for the second preceding month. 
The FNS-388 report provides the necessary data for an early warning 
system to enable the Department to monitor actual and estimated costs 
for all benefit types against the appropriation.
    Disaster SNAP is authorized by sections 402 and 502 of the Robert 
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5121 et seq.) and the temporary emergency provisions contained in 
Section 5 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, and in 7 CFR part 280 
of the SNAP regulations. State agencies may request FNS approval to 
operate a Disaster SNAP in an area that has received a Presidential 
declaration as a Major Disaster area eligible for Individual 
Assistance. In accordance with 7 CFR 274.4, State agencies shall keep 
records and report SNAP participation and issuance totals to FNS.
    State agencies in general only submit one statewide FNS-388 per 
month, which covers benefits from their Electronic Benefit Transfer 
(EBT) system. The exception is State agencies that choose to operate an 
approved alternative issuance demonstration project such as a cash-out 
system submit a separate report for each additional type of issuance 
system. As a result of the reporting burden for these forms being 
merged with 0584-0594, the collective burden will be reduced by 5,187 
hours. The remaining 17.28 hours represents the State recordkeeping 
burden for these forms. Per 7 CFR 272.1(f), State agencies are required 
to retain all records associated with the administration of SNAP for no 
less than

[[Page 52814]]

3 years. The recordkeeping burden has not changed.
    Affected Public: State agencies that administer SNAP.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 13.58.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 719.74 rounded up to 720.
    Estimated Hours per Response: .024.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: This revised annual 
recordkeeping burden for OMB No. 0584-0081, is 17.28 hours. The current 
burden inventory for this collection is 5,187 hours. This decrease is a 
result merging the reporting burden to OMB# 0584-0594 collection. See 
the table below for estimated total annual burden.

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                                                                                                                             Time per         Annual
              Affected public                           Forms                Number of     Frequency of    Total annual      response      recordkeeping
                                                                           recordkeepers     response         records         (hours)          hours
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State Agencies............................  FNS-388.....................              53           11.32             600            .024            14.4
                                            FNS-388A....................              53            2.26             120            .024            2.88
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Record-keeping Burden.....................  ............................              53           13.58             720           0.024           17.28
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    Dated: July 12, 2016.
Audrey Rowe,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-18972 Filed 8-9-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P