[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 207 (Friday, October 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57386-57387]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-23217]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program: State Agency Options for Standard Utility
Allowances and Self-Employment Income
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), 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 this proposed information collection. This collection is a revision
of a currently approved collection. This information collection
addresses the State agency reporting burden associated with the
following State agency options under the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP): Establishing and reviewing standard utility
allowances (SUAs) and establishing methodology for offsetting cost of
producing self-employment income.
DATES: Written comments must be received on or before December 24,
2019.
ADDRESSES: The Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, invites interested
persons to submit written comment.
Preferred Method: Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov, and follow the online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
Mail: Send comments to Certification Policy Branch,
Program Development Division, FNS, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria,
Virginia 22302.
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 the
Certification Policy Branch, Program Development Division, FNS, 3101
Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302 or via email to
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology.
Title: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State Agency
Options for Standard Utility Allowances and Self-Employment Income.
Form Number: None.
OMB Number: 0584-0496.
Expiration Date: March 31, 2020.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: The information collection addresses the mandatory State
agency information and burden estimates associated with the following
State agency options under SNAP: Establishing and reviewing SUAs and
establishing methodology for offsetting cost of producing self-
employment income.
SNAP regulations at 7 CFR 273.9(d)(6)(iii) allow State agencies to
establish SUAs 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. States must
provide the amounts of the standards to FNS when they have changed, and
submit methodologies used in developing and updating standards to FNS
for approval when the methodologies are updated or changed.
SNAP regulations at 7 CFR 273.11(b) allow for 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. Most State agencies provide methodology information on written
letterhead and typically submit it via email. Once approved by FNS,
States can use these methodologies to determine net self-employment
income for SNAP eligibility purposes.
This notice invites comments on the revisions made to the State
Agency Options information collection for SNAP to reflect changes in
the number of States electing to establish a methodology for offsetting
the costs of producing self-employment income. Based on information
provided in the Fourteenth Edition of the SNAP State Options Report,
published on May 31, 2018, FNS proposes increasing this figure from 21
State agencies to 23 State agencies since the previous information
collection renewal.
Using FNS-388 and 388A (approved under OMB Control Number 0584-
0594; expiration date: 09/30/2019 (currently going through OMB approval
process).), States send aggregate level data on participation, benefits
issued, and other basic program information to FNS using the Food
Programs Reporting System (FPRS) at https://fprs.fns.usda.gov. This
collection uses information submitted in these FNS approved forms as
supplemental data. However, this collection is not seeking approval for
burden hours associated with the use of these forms because the burden
is already accounted for under OMB Control Number 0584-0594.
FNS is currently in the process of conducting a limited number of
[[Page 57387]]
consultations with State agencies and FNS staff regarding the accuracy
of the burden estimates in this information collection, including the
validity of the methodology and assumptions that were used to estimate
the burden. The inputs from those consultations will be considered,
along with the public comments received in response to this notice, as
FNS finalizes the burden estimate to be included in the request for OMB
for approval.
Affected Public: The respondent group identified includes 53 State
agencies.
Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of
respondents is 53.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: FNS estimates 53
State agencies will submit one request each to adjust the SUA. Based on
the information provided in the Fourteenth Edition of the SNAP State
Options Report, out of the 53 State agencies, 23 State agencies have
incorporated a methodology for determining the cost of doing business
in self-employment cases. It is estimated that these 23 States will
submit one request each, totaling 23 annual responses related to
establishing a methodology for offsetting cost of producing self-
employment income. 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. Therefore, it is estimated
that each respondent will be responsible for 2.4340 responses.
Estimated Total Annual Responses: 129.
Estimated Time per Response: 5.9395 (hours).
Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 766.1957 (hours). See
table below for estimated total annual burden for State agencies.
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Estimated
Estimated Responses Total annual average number Estimated
CFR citation Respondent number of annually per responses of hours per total hours
respondents respondent response
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Reporting Burden
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7 CFR 273.9(d)(6)(iii).................... State Agency--Review of SUA 53 1 53 10 530
Submissions.
7 CFR 273.11(b)........................... State Agency--Review of Self- 23 1 23 10 230
Employment Methodology.
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Total Reporting Burden... 53 .............. 76 .............. 760
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Recordkeeping Burden
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State Agency................ 53 1 53 0.1169 6.1957
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Total Recordkeeping 53 .............. 53 .............. 6.1957
Burden.
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Total of Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden
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Total.................... 53 .............. 129 .............. 766.1957
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Dated: October 7, 2019.
Pamilyn Miller,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-23217 Filed 10-24-19; 8:45 am]
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