[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 214 (Monday, November 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67008-67010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-24151]


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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 is a revision of a 
currently approved collection. This information collection addresses 
the State agency reporting and recordkeeping 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 January 6, 2023.

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, Food and Nutrition Service, 1320 Braddock 
Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, Virginia 22314.
    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 Muhammad 
Kara by telephone at 703-305-2022, by mail to the Certification Policy 
Branch, Program Development Division, Food and Nutrition Service, 1320 
Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314 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: July 31, 2023.
    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 must review and adjust SUAs annually to 
reflect changes in the costs of utilities. As part of this annual 
update, State agencies may develop a new methodology and submit any 
updates to FNS via email for approval.
    SNAP regulations at 7 CFR 273.11(b) allow State agencies to 
calculate a household's self-employment income by reducing 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. Once

[[Page 67009]]

approved by FNS via email, States can use these methodologies to 
determine net self-employment income for SNAP eligibility purposes.
    Using FNS-388 and 388A (both approved under OMB Control Number 
0584-0594; expiration date: 07/31/2023). 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.

Reporting Estimate

    In the process of renewing this collection, FNS increased the 
estimated number of responses States submit as part of their SUA 
submission review. FNS estimates that 53 State agencies will submit two 
responses each, which includes States' review of their preliminary SUA 
amounts and their final SUA amounts. In prior renewals, FNS did not 
delineate between these two submissions, but considered them part of 
one process. In this renewal, FNS chose to more clearly reflect the two 
responses States submit and adjust its estimate accordingly.
    FNS asks States to submit preliminary SUA amounts voluntarily as 
part of their annual SUA update process. By collecting preliminary SUA 
estimates ahead of final annual updates, FNS can plan for any 
significant changes in SUA amounts which may considerably impact SNAP 
benefit amounts.
    In FY 2022, FNS received final SUA amounts from all 53 State 
agencies. FNS did not collect preliminary SUA amounts in FY 2021 or FY 
2020. However, in the past three years that FNS collected preliminary 
numbers, most States submitted these amounts, and 52 out of 53 State 
agencies submitted preliminary SUA amounts in FY 2022. For the purpose 
of this renewal, FNS estimates that all 53 State agencies will submit 
preliminary amounts in addition to their final SUA amounts, increasing 
the total annual responses to 106 (53 State agencies x 2 responses 
each).
    While FNS is adding a response to this burden item, this update 
will only result in an increase of total annual responses, not total 
annual burden hours. FNS estimates that even with the newly delineated 
response, the total amount of time for States to review their SUA 
estimates (both preliminary and final) remains the same as the 
previously approved burden estimate of 1,325 hours. To reflect this 
change, FNS is modifying each response to an estimated 12.5 hours. 
Therefore, FNS projects a total annual burden of 1,325 hours and 106 
responses for the review of SUA preliminary and final submissions.
    Based on information provided in the Fourteenth Edition of the SNAP 
State Options Report,\1\ 23 out of 53 State agencies have already 
incorporated a methodology for determining the cost of doing business 
in self-employment cases, which was the basis of the previous burden 
estimate. Over the next three years this collection covers, FNS 
estimates that five (5) State agencies will establish a new methodology 
for offsetting the cost of producing self-employment income, either for 
the first time or as an update to their current methodology. This 
estimate is based on consultations with three (3) FNS regional offices. 
FNS estimates that each of these five (5) responses will have a 
response time of 10 hours, for a total annual burden of 50 hours.
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    \1\ The 14th Edition of the SNAP State Options Report summarizes 
information related to State policy and administrative options. The 
14th edition reflects the most current information available and was 
published May 31, 2018. For more information, please visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/waivers/state-options-report.
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Recordkeeping Estimate

    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. FNS estimates a response time of 0.25 hours for 
this recordkeeping burdens.

Total Burden Estimate

    For both reporting and recordkeeping, FNS projects a total annual 
burden of 1,388.25 hours and 164 responses for this collection. This 
revision results in a decrease in burden hours due to updated 
assumptions based on consultations with three (3) FNS regional offices.

Reporting Burden

    Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.09433962 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 111.
    Estimated Time per Response: 12.39 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 1,375 hours.

Recordkeeping Burden

    Affected Public: State, Local, or Tribal Governments.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 53.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.25 hours.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 13.25 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       annually per      responses     of hours per     total hours
                                                                            respondent      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               2             106           12.50        1,325.00
                                             Preliminary and Final
                                             Submissions.
7 CFR 273.11(b)...........................  State Agency--Review of Self-             23               1               5           10.00           50.00
                                             Employment Methodology.
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                                               Total Reporting Burden...              53      2.09433962             111      12.3873874        1,375.00
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[[Page 67010]]

 
                                                                  Recordkeeping Burden
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7 CFR 273.9(d)(6)(iii) and 7 CFR 273.11(b)  Recordkeeping Requirements                53               1              53            0.25           13.25
                                             for SUA and Self-Employment
                                             Methodologies.
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                                               Total Recordkeeping                    53               1              53            0.25           13.25
                                                Burden.
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                                                       Total of Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden
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                                               Total....................              53      3.09433962             164      8.46493902        1,388.25
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Tameka Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-24151 Filed 11-4-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P