| Page Range | 17027-17029 | |
| FR Document | 2015-07359 |
[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 61 (Tuesday, March 31, 2015)] [Notices] [Pages 17027-17029] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2015-07359] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Food and Nutrition Service Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC): Income Eligibility Guidelines AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA. ACTION: Notice ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (``Department'') announces adjusted income eligibility guidelines to be used by State agencies in determining the income eligibility of persons applying to participate in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC). These income eligibility guidelines are to be used in conjunction with the WIC Regulations. DATES: Effective Date July 1, 2015. [[Page 17028]] FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Hines, Chief, Policy Branch, Supplemental Food Programs Division, FNS, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302, (703) 305-2746. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Executive Order 12866 This notice is exempt from review by the Office of Management and Budget under Executive Order 12866. Regulatory Flexibility Act This action is not a rule as defined by the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601-612) and thus is exempt from the provisions of this Act. Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 This notice does not contain reporting or recordkeeping requirements subject to approval by the Office of Management and Budget in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507). Executive Order 12372 This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Programs under No. 10.557, and is subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials (7 CFR part 3015, subpart V, 48 FR 29100, June 24, 1983, and 49 FR 22675, May 31, 1984). Description Section 17(d)(2)(A) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1786(d)(2)(A)), requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish income criteria to be used with nutritional risk criteria in determining a person's eligibility for participation in the WIC Program. The law provides that persons will be income-eligible for the WIC Program only if they are members of families that satisfy the income standard prescribed for reduced-price school meals under section 9(b) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1758(b)). Under section 9(b), the income limit for reduced-price school meals is 185 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines, as adjusted. Section 9(b) also requires that these guidelines be revised annually to reflect changes in the Consumer Price Index. The annual revision for 2015/2016 was published by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) at 80 FR 3236, January 22, 2015. The guidelines published by HHS are referred to as the ``poverty guidelines.'' Section 246.7(d)(1) of the WIC regulations (Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations) specifies that State agencies may prescribe income guidelines either equaling the income guidelines established under section 9 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act for reduced-price school meals, or identical to State or local guidelines for free or reduced-price health care. However, in conforming WIC income guidelines to State or local health care guidelines, the State cannot establish WIC guidelines which exceed the guidelines for reduced-price school meals, or which are less than 100 percent of the Federal poverty guidelines. Consistent with the method used to compute income eligibility guidelines for reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program, the poverty guidelines were multiplied by 1.85 and the results rounded upward to the next whole dollar. At this time, the Department is publishing the maximum and minimum WIC income eligibility guidelines by household size for the period July 1, 2015, through June 30, 2016. Consistent with section 17(f)(17) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended (42 U.S.C. 1786(f)(17)), a State agency may implement the revised WIC income eligibility guidelines concurrently with the implementation of income eligibility guidelines under the Medicaid Program established under Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396, et seq.). State agencies may coordinate implementation with the revised Medicaid guidelines, i.e., earlier in the year, but in no case may implementation take place later than July 1, 2015. State agencies that do not coordinate implementation with the revised Medicaid guidelines must implement the WIC income eligibility guidelines on July 1, 2015. The first table of this Notice contains the income limits by household size for the 48 contiguous States, the District of Columbia, and all Territories, including Guam. Income Eligibility Guidelines [Effective from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Federal poverty guidelines--100% Reduced price meals--185% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Household size Twice- Twice- Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 48 Contiguous States, D.C., Guam and Territories -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1......................................... $11,770 $981 $491 $453 $227 $21,775 $1,815 $908 $838 $419 2......................................... 15,930 1,328 664 613 307 29,471 2,456 1,228 1,134 567 3......................................... 20,090 1,675 838 773 387 37,167 3,098 1,549 1,430 715 4......................................... 24,250 2,021 1,011 933 467 44,863 3,739 1,870 1,726 863 5......................................... 28,410 2,368 1,184 1,093 547 52,559 4,380 2,190 2,022 1,011 6......................................... 32,570 2,715 1,358 1,253 627 60,255 5,022 2,511 2,318 1,159 7......................................... 36,730 3,061 1,531 1,413 707 67,951 5,663 2,832 2,614 1,307 8......................................... 40,890 3,408 1,704 1,573 787 75,647 6,304 3,152 2,910 1,455 Each add'l family member add.............. + $4,160 + $347 + $174 + $160 + $80 + $7,696 + $642 + $321 + $296 + $148 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alaska -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1......................................... $14,720 $1,227 $614 $567 $284 $27,232 $2,270 $1,135 $1,048 $524 2......................................... 19,920 1,660 830 767 384 36,852 3,071 1,536 1,418 709 3......................................... 25,120 2,094 1,047 967 484 46,472 3,873 1,937 1,788 894 4......................................... 30,320 2,527 1,264 1,167 584 56,092 4,675 2,338 2,158 1,079 5......................................... 35,520 2,960 1,480 1,367 684 65,712 5,476 2,738 2,528 1,264 6......................................... 40,720 3,394 1,697 1,567 784 75,332 6,278 3,139 2,898 1,449 7......................................... 45,920 3,827 1,914 1,767 884 84,952 7,080 3,540 3,268 1,634 8......................................... 51,120 4,260 2,130 1,967 984 94,572 7,881 3,941 3,638 1,819 Each add'l family member add.............. + $5,200 + $434 + $217 + $200 + $100 + $9,620 + $802 + $401 + $370 + $185 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hawaii -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1......................................... $13,550 $1,130 $565 $522 $261 $25,068 $2,089 $1,045 $965 $483 [[Page 17029]] 2......................................... 18,330 1,528 764 705 353 33,911 2,826 1,413 1,305 653 3......................................... 23,110 1,926 963 889 445 42,754 3,563 1,782 1,645 823 4......................................... 27,890 2,325 1,163 1,073 537 51,597 4,300 2,150 1,985 993 5......................................... 32,670 2,723 1,362 1,257 629 60,440 5,037 2,519 2,325 1,163 6......................................... 37,450 3,121 1,561 1,441 721 69,283 5,774 2,887 2,665 1,333 7......................................... 42,230 3,520 1,760 1,625 813 78,126 6,511 3,256 3,005 1,503 8......................................... 47,010 3,918 1,959 1,809 905 86,969 7,248 3,624 3,345 1,673 Each add'l family member add.............. + $4,780 + $399 + $200 + $184 + $92 + $8,843 + $737 + $369 + $341 + $171 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Income Eligibility Guidelines--Supplemental Chart for Family Sizes Greater Than Eight [Effective from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Federal poverty guidelines--100% Reduced price meals--185% ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Household size Twice- Twice- Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly Annual Monthly monthly Bi-weekly Weekly -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 48 Contiguous States, D.C., Guam and Territories -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9......................................... $45,050 $3,755 $1,878 $1,733 $867 $83,343 $6,946 $3,473 $3,206 $1,603 10........................................ 49,210 4,101 2,051 1,893 947 91,039 7,587 3,794 3,502 1,751 11........................................ 53,370 4,448 2,224 2,053 1,027 98,735 8,228 4,114 3,798 1,899 12........................................ 57,530 4,795 2,398 2,213 1,107 106,431 8,870 4,435 4,094 2,047 13........................................ 61,690 5,141 2,571 2,373 1,187 114,127 9,511 4,756 4,390 2,195 14........................................ 65,850 5,488 2,744 2,533 1,267 121,823 10,152 5,076 4,686 2,343 15........................................ 70,010 5,835 2,918 2,693 1,347 129,519 10,794 5,397 4,982 2,491 16........................................ 74,170 6,181 3,091 2,853 1,427 137,215 11,435 5,718 5,278 2,639 Each add'l family member add.............. + $4,160 + $347 + $174 + $160 + $80 + $7,696 + $642 + $321 + $296 + $148 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alaska -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9......................................... $56,320 $4,694 $2,347 $2,167 $1,084 $104,192 $8,683 $4,342 $4,008 $2,004 10........................................ 61,520 5,127 2,564 2,367 1,184 113,812 9,485 4,743 4,378 2,189 11........................................ 66,720 5,560 2,780 2,567 1,284 123,432 10,286 5,143 4,748 2,374 12........................................ 71,920 5,994 2,997 2,767 1,384 133,052 11,088 5,544 5,118 2,559 13........................................ 77,120 6,427 3,214 2,967 1,484 142,672 11,890 5,945 5,488 2,744 14........................................ 82,320 6,860 3,430 3,167 1,584 152,292 12,691 6,346 5,858 2,929 15........................................ 87,520 7,294 3,647 3,367 1,684 161,912 13,493 6,747 6,228 3,114 16........................................ 92,720 7,727 3,864 3,567 1,784 171,532 14,295 7,148 6,598 3,299 Each add'l family member add.............. + $5,200 + $434 + $217 + $200 + $100 + $9,620 + $802 + $401 + $370 + $185 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hawaii -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9......................................... $51,790 $4,316 $2,158 $1,992 $996 $95,812 $7,985 $3,993 $3,686 $1,843 10........................................ 56,570 4,715 2,358 2,176 1,088 104,655 8,722 4,361 4,026 2,013 11........................................ 61,350 5,113 2,557 2,360 1,180 113,498 9,459 4,730 4,366 2,183 12........................................ 66,130 5,511 2,756 2,544 1,272 122,341 10,196 5,098 4,706 2,353 13........................................ 70,910 5,910 2,955 2,728 1,364 131,184 10,932 5,466 5,046 2,523 14........................................ 75,690 6,308 3,154 2,912 1,456 140,027 11,669 5,835 5,386 2,693 15........................................ 80,470 6,706 3,353 3,095 1,548 148,870 12,406 6,203 5,726 2,863 16........................................ 85,250 7,105 3,553 3,279 1,640 157,713 13,143 6,572 6,066 3,033 Each add'l family member add.............. + $4,780 + $399 + $200 + $184 + $92 + $8,843 + $737 + $369 + $341 + $171 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Because the poverty guidelines for Alaska and Hawaii are higher than for the 48 contiguous States, separate tables for Alaska and Hawaii have been included for the convenience of the State agencies. Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1786. Dated: March 26, 2015. Jeffrey J. Tribiano, Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service. [FR Doc. 2015-07359 Filed 3-30-15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice | |
| Dates | Effective Date July 1, 2015. | |
| Contact | Donna Hines, Chief, Policy Branch, Supplemental Food Programs Division, FNS, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302, (703) 305-2746. | |
| FR Citation | 80 FR 17027 |