[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 158 (Friday, August 14, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49622-49625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-17674]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request--Evaluation of Child Support Cooperation Requirements 
in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

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 NEW information 
collection will provide USDA with information on Child Support 
Cooperation Requirements in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program (SNAP).

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before October 13, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be sent to: Michael Burke, Office of 
Policy Support, FNS, USDA, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, 
VA 22314. 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 written comments will be open for public inspection at the 
office of the Food and Nutrition Service during regular business hours 
(8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) at Office of Policy 
Support, FNS, USDA, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 
22314.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget 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 Michael 
Burke by mail at Office of Policy Support, FNS, USDA, 1320 Braddock 
Place, 5th Floor Alexandria, VA 22314; by email at 
[email protected]; or by phone at (703) 305-4369.

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: Evaluation of Child Support Cooperation Requirements in SNAP
    Form Number: Not Applicable
    OMB Number: 0584-NEW
    Expiration Date: Not Yet Determined
    Type of Request: New Information Collection

[[Page 49623]]

    Abstract: In the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L., 115-
334, Section 4015), Congress directed FNS to assess the implementation, 
impacts, costs, and benefits of child support cooperation requirements 
in SNAP. Child support cooperation requirements generally mandate a 
child's primary caretaker (typically a custodial parent) applying for 
that program's benefits to assist the child support agency by providing 
information that helps locate noncustodial parents and establish 
paternity and support orders. States may also require SNAP noncustodial 
parents to cooperate with child support by meeting their financial and 
medical support obligations. The child support cooperation requirement 
is mandatory in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 
program and Medicaid but is a State option and not a mandate for a SNAP 
participant to obtain, retain or maintain SNAP benefits. Eight States 
currently implement cooperation requirements in SNAP, and others are 
considering adopting this requirement.
    The study will include 12 States, including 7 States that are 
exercising the option to implement a child support requirement in SNAP, 
2 States that formerly implemented a child support cooperation 
requirement but no longer do so, and 3 States that are considering 
implementing this requirement. Study objectives include (1) assessing 
the implementation of the child support cooperation requirement in 
States currently implementing it; (2) assessing the feasibility of 
implementing a child support cooperation requirement in study States 
that formerly chose to implement the requirement or are considering 
implementing it; (3) assessing the impact of a child support 
cooperation requirement in SNAP on custodial and noncustodial parents 
in study States that have or formerly had the requirement; (4) 
assessing how State agencies align the procedures for implementing a 
child support cooperation requirement in SNAP to those in other Federal 
programs that have a cooperation requirement; (5) determining the costs 
and benefits to State SNAP agencies, child support agencies, and 
households of requiring State agencies to implement a child support 
cooperation requirement; and (6) assessing the impact of a child 
support cooperation requirement on SNAP eligibility, benefit levels, 
food security, income, and economic stability.
    To achieve the research objectives, the study will conduct site 
visits and collect administrative data. The site visits will include 
interviews with State staff designated by the State Director from the 
SNAP and child support agencies. In 7 States that currently have child 
support requirements in SNAP, site visits will include visits to two 
local SNAP and two local child support agency offices as well as 
interviews with staff. The study will use this information to document 
the processes used to implement the child support cooperation 
requirement. The study will conduct in-person interviews with SNAP 
participants in 10 States that either have child support requirements 
in SNAP or are considering implementing these requirements to collect 
information on how clients understand the requirement and how it 
affects them.
    To assess the impact of the requirement on SNAP participants and 
applicants, the study will also collect and analyze SNAP and child 
support administrative data in all 12 study states. In the 9 study 
states that currently have or formerly had child support requirements 
in SNAP, the SNAP agency respondent who provides the SNAP data for the 
study will also provide TANF and/Medicaid administrative data if those 
program data are housed in the same agency that administers SNAP. If 
the TANF and/or Medicaid programs are housed in agencies different from 
the SNAP agencies, the TANF and/or Medicaid administrative data will 
not be collected. Finally, the study will collect and analyze cost data 
associated with implementing the requirement in selected States to 
assess the costs of implementation and to compare these against the 
benefits of the requirement.
    Affected Public: Members of the public affected by the data 
collection include Individuals/households; State, Local and Tribal 
governments; and business-for-profit.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
respondents--which includes everyone contacted for data collection 
regardless of whether they participate--is 1,114. This includes 750 
individuals/households, 352 State and local government staff, and 12 
advocates. FNS will contact 750 individuals/households, out of which 
300 parents/caretakers will complete in-person interviews and 450 
parents/caretakers will be considered nonrespondents. FNS will contact 
100 State and local agency directors/managers; 210 State or local 
agency direct service staff; and 12 representatives or staff from State 
legislature or judicial systems for in-person interviews. Twenty-four 
of the directors/managers will provide administrative data and 6 will 
provide cost data. FNS will contact 12 advocates for in-person 
interviews.
    Estimated Frequency of Responses per Respondent: 1.418312387791741.
    FNS used the average frequency of all respondent/non-respondent 
group to determine the annual frequency estimates. Average 1.40 
frequency of responses for individuals/households (with an expected 
1,050 responses from 750 respondents), 1.4375 responses for State and 
local government representatives (with an expected 506 responses from 
352 respondents), and 2.00 responses for (business for profit) private 
sector representatives (with an expected 24 responses from 12 
respondents).
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 1,579.99 rounded up to 1,580.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1.277012658.
    FNS used the time per all respondent/non-respondent group to 
determine the annual frequency estimates. The estimated time of 
response varies from 0.0835 or (5 minutes) to 35.00 burden hours 
depending on the respondent group, with an average estimated time of 
1.28 hours (1 hour and 17 minutes).
    Estimated Annual Burden Hours: The estimated annual burden hours is 
2,017.679.

[[Page 49624]]



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                                                                                                                               Respondents                                               Non-respondents
                                                                                                      ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                                           Total                                                      Total      Grand
            Affected public             Data collection activity      Respondents type        Sample    Estimated    Frequency     Total      Average     annual     Estimated    Frequency     Total     Average     annual     total
                                                                                               size     number of       of        annual      burden      burden     number of       of        annual      burden     burden     burden
                                                                                                       respondents   response    responses   hours per   estimate       non-      response    responses  hours per   estimate   estimate
                                                                                                                                             response     (hours)   respondents                           response   (hours)
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Individuals/households................  Invitation call or        Parent/caretaker........        750          300           1         300        0.08       24.00          450           1         450       0.08      36.00      60.00
                                         letter.
                                        In-person interview.....  Parent/caretaker........        750          300           1         300        1.67      501.00          450           0           0       0.00       0.00     501.00
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    Subtotal individuals/households.......................................................        750          300  ..........         600  ..........      525.00          450  ..........         450  .........      36.00     561.00
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State and local government............  Invitational email and    State or local agency           100          100           1         100        0.08        8.00            0           1           0       0.08       0.00       8.00
                                         fact sheet review.        director/manager (SNAP:
                                                                   12 State SNAP agency
                                                                   directors, 12 SNAP
                                                                   policy directors, 12
                                                                   SNAP data managers, 2
                                                                   SNAP local office
                                                                   directors, Child
                                                                   Support: 12 State Child
                                                                   Support agency
                                                                   directors, 12 Child
                                                                   Support policy
                                                                   directors, 12 Child
                                                                   Support data managers,
                                                                   and 2 Child Support
                                                                   local office agency
                                                                   directors).
                                        In-person interview.....  State or local agency           100          100           1         100        1.00      100.00            0           0           0       0.00       0.00     100.00
                                                                   director/manager (Same
                                                                   breakdown as depicted
                                                                   in cell above).
                                        In-person interview.....  State or local agency           210          210           1         210        1.77      371.70            0           1           0       0.08       0.00     371.70
                                                                   direct service staff
                                                                   (SNAP: 105 SNAP direct
                                                                   service staff; Child
                                                                   Support: 105 Child
                                                                   Support direct service
                                                                   staff).
                                        Invitational email and    Representative or staff          12           12           1          12        0.08        0.96            0           1           0       0.08       0.00       0.96
                                         fact sheet review.        from State legislature
                                                                   or judicial system.
                                        In-person interview.....  Representative or staff          12           12           1          12        1.00       12.00            0           0           0       0.00       0.00      12.00
                                                                   from State legislature
                                                                   or judicial system.
                                        Written data collection   State or local agency            24           24           1          24        2.00       48.00            0           1           0       0.08       0.00      48.00
                                         request; any needed       director/manager.
                                         clarifying discussions.
                                        Provide administrative    State or local agency            24           24           1          24       35.00      840.00            0           0           0       0.00       0.00     840.00
                                         data.                     director/manager.
                                        Written data collection   State or local agency             6            6           2          12        1.00       12.00            0           1           0       0.08       0.00      12.00
                                         request; any needed       director/manager.
                                         clarifying discussions.
                                        Provide cost data.......  State or local agency             6            6           2          12        4.00       48.00            0           0           0       0.00       0.00      48.00
                                                                   director/manager.
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    Subtotal state and local government...................................................        352          352  ..........         506  ..........    1,440.66            0  ..........           0  .........       0.00   1,440.66
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(Business-for-profit) Private sector..  Invitational email and    Advocate or other                12           12           1          12        0.08        0.96            0           1           0       0.08       0.00       0.96
                                         fact sheet review.        stakeholder.
                                        In-person interview.....  Advocate or other                12           12           1          12        1.00       12.00            0           0           0       0.00       0.00      12.00
                                                                   stakeholder.
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    Subtotal business-for-profit private sector...........................................         12           12  ..........          24  ..........       12.96            0  ..........           0  .........       0.00      12.96
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        Grand total.......................................................................      1,114          664  ..........       1,130  ..........    1,978.62          450  ..........         450  .........       0.00   2,017.68
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[[Page 49625]]

Pamilyn Miller,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-17674 Filed 8-13-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P