[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 11, 2026)] [Notices] [Pages 11947-11949] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2026-04775] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Agency Information Collection Activities: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Trafficking Controls and Fraud Investigations (Card Replacement) AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. Renewal of a previously approved information collection. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 announces the intent of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to revise and report on the activities associated with the replacement of multiple Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, as well as the monitoring and notices associated with excessive requests for replacement SNAP EBT cards. DATES: Written comments must be received on or before May 11, 2026. ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to Maribelle Balbes, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314, or (703) 605-4272. 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 (OMB) 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 Dr. Casey Lowe at (703) 659-7361 or [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 Trafficking Controls and Fraud Investigations (Card Replacement). Form Number: N/A. OMB Control Number: 0584-0587. Expiration Date: 04/30/2026. Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection. Abstract: Per Federal regulations at 274.6(b)(6),\1\ state agencies are required to monitor EBT card replacement requests and send notices to the household upon their fourth request for a replacement card within a 12-month period. Upon requesting the fourth replacement card, state agencies are required to send a notice to the [[Page 11948]] household specifying the number of cards requested over what period of time, an explanation of what is considered misuse or fraudulent use of their benefits, and that their account is being monitored for potential trafficking activity. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/part-274/section-274.6#p-274.6(b)(6). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- State agencies also have the option to withhold the replacement card if the household has reached the excessive card replacement threshold set by the state agency. The threshold set by the state agency must not be less than four cards within a 12-month period. Per Federal regulations at 7 CFR 274.6(b)(5),\2\ state agencies have the option to require that a household member contact the state agency to explain the reason for requesting a new EBT card if the state agency determines that the requests are excessive. State agencies must notify the household in writing when they reach their replacement card threshold. The state agency will withhold the replacement card until the household provides an explanation by contacting the state agency. If fraud is suspected, the state agency will refer the household for investigation and, when deemed necessary, provide written notification to the household. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/part-274/section-274.6#p-274.6(b)(5). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reporting Affected Public: Individual/Household. Estimated Number of Respondents: 292,064. Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1. Estimated Total Annual Responses: 292,064. Estimated Time per Response: 0.0607. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 17,737.92. FY26 0584-0587 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Section of reg Number of responses per Total annual Hours per Total annual respondents respondent responses response burden hours -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Individuals/Households -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 274.6(b)(5)............................ Reading Withhold Replacement 32,127 1 32,127 0.0334 1,073.04 Card Warning Notice. 274.6(b)(5)............................ Reading Replacement Card * 16,064 1 16,064 0.5000 8,031.76 Withheld Notice and Making Contact with State agency. 274.6(b)(6)............................ Reading Excessive Replacement 258,477 1 258,477 0.0334 8,633.12 Card Notice. Household Total.................... ............................... 292,064 1 292,064 0.0607 17,737.92 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * 16,064 Individuals/Households (I/H) SNAP participants are the same I/H accounted for in the 32,127 and therefore not double counted. Affected Public: State Agencies. Estimated Number of Respondents: 53. Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5,511. Estimated Total Annual Responses: 292,064. Estimated Time per Response: 0.0334. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 10,242.68. Using SNAP participation data, FNS estimates that there are about 292,064 households affected annually by the excessive replacement card procedures outlined in this information collection request. FNS estimates it will take a total of 17,737.92 hours for these households to complete the tasks associated with this information collection. The most recent SNAP data shows a decrease in participation as compared with fiscal year (FY) 2021 data used in the last submission for this information request; therefore, there is a decrease of 5,001.84 burden hours compared to the previous burden hours approved by the OMB (22,739 (FY23 household burden hours)-17,737.92 (current household burden hours) = 5,001.84 hours. The household burden hours include reading excessive replacement card notices from the State agency and when applicable, contacting the state agency to explain the reason for the excessive card requests. The total burden hours, including household and state agency burden hours, for this information request has decreased by 7,881.86 hours as compared to the most recent information collection approved by OMB in FY23 (35,862.48 (FY23 total burden hours)-27,980.61 (current total burden hours) = 7,881.86 burden hours). FY26 0584-0587 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Number of Section of Reg Description Number of responses per Total annual Hours per Total annual respondents respondent responses response burden hours -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- State Agencies -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 274.6(b)(5)........................... Withhold Replacement Card 6 5,355 32,127 0.0334 1,073.04 Warning Notice. 274.6(b)(5)........................... Replacement Card Withheld 6 2,677 16,064 0.0334 536.52 Notice. 274.6(b)(6)........................... Excessive Replacement Card 47 5,500 258,477 0.0334 8,633.12 Notice. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [[Page 11949]] State Agency Total................ ............................. 53 5,511 292,064 0.0334 10,242.68 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There is no change in the number of state agency respondents, 53. FNS estimates that out of 53 state agencies, 47 send the excessive replacement card notice. The remaining six state agencies implement the option to withhold the replacement SNAP card and require the household to contact the state agency to explain the reason for their excessive SNAP card replacement requests before the card is replaced. This estimation has not changed since the last submission of this information collection request. FY23 total state agency burden hours were updated from 13,122.72 to 10,242.68 for FY26. The total burden hours for state agencies for this information collection has decreased by 2,880.04 burden hours. Patrick A. Penn, Deputy Under Secretary, Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture. [FR Doc. 2026-04775 Filed 3-10-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-30-P