[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 119 (Wednesday, June 19, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31088-31089]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-15626]
========================================================================
Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 19, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 31088]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Consumer Service
Food Stamp Program: Agency Information Collection Activities:
Proposed Collection, Comment Request--Federal Collection of State
Participation Reporting
Agency
Food and Consumer Service, USDA.
Action
Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Summary
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the Food and Consumer Service (FCS) is publishing for public comment a summary of a proposed information collection. The proposed collection is an extension of collection currently approved under OMB No. 0584- 0081.
Dates
Comments on this notice must be received by August 19, 1996 to be assured of consideration.
Addresses
Send comments and requests for copies of this information collection to Joseph H. Pinto, Chief, State Administration Branch, Food Stamp Program, Food and Consumer Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Alexandria, VA 22302. Copies of the estimate of the information collection can be obtained by contacting Mr. Pinto. 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 will 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 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 through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology. All comments will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval of the information collection. All comments will become a matter of public record.
For Further Information Contact
Joseph H. Pinto, telephone number (703) 305-2383.
Supplementary Information
Title: Form FCS-388, State Issuance and Participation Estimates. OMB Number: 0584-0081. Expiration Date: September 30, 1996. Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection. Abstract: Section 18(b) of the Food Stamp Act limits the value of allotments paid to food stamp households to an amount not in excess of the appropriation for the fiscal year. If allotments in any fiscal year would exceed the appropriation, the Secretary of Agriculture is required to direct State agencies to reduce the value of food stamp allotments to the extent necessary to stay within appropriated funding levels. Section 18(a) of the Food Stamp Act requires the Secretary of Agriculture to submit a monthly report to Congress setting forth the Secretary's best estimate of the second preceding month's expenditures for the Food Stamp Program as well as the cumulative total for the fiscal year. In each monthly report the Secretary is required to also state whether supplemental appropriations will be needed to support the operation of the program through the end of the fiscal year. The timeliness and accuracy of the data available to the Secretary prior to submitting this report will have a direct effect upon any request for supplemental appropriations that may be submitted and the manner in which allotments will be reduced if the supplemental appropriation is not provided. While benefit reductions have never been ordered in the past under Section 18(b) nor are they anticipated based on current data, the Department must continue to monitor actual program costs against the appropriation. Section 11(e)(12) of the Food Stamp Act requires that the State Plan of Operations shall provide for the submission of reports required by the Secretary of Agriculture. State agencies are required to report on a monthly basis on the FCS-388, State Issuance and Participation Estimates, estimated or actual issuance and participation data for the current month and previous month, and actual participation data for the second preceding month. The FCS-388 report provides the necessary data for an early warning system to enable the Department to fulfil its reporting requirements to Congress. State agencies in general only submit one Statewide FCS-388 per month. The only exception is that State agencies which choose to operate an approved alternative issuance demonstration project such as cash-out or electronic benefits submit a separate report for each type of alternative issuance. With State agency automated information systems, the separate report for an alternative issuance demonstration project should have a negligible impact on the burden. In addition, State agencies are required to submit a project area breakdown on the FCS-388A of issuance and participation data twice a year. This data is useful in identifying project areas that are required to do photo identification of heads of households or to operate fraud detection units in accordance with the Act. Beginning July 1993, State agencies were allowed to submit the FCS- 388 data electronically to the national database files stored in FCS' Food Stamp Program Integrated Information System in lieu of a paper report. The voluntary changeover from paper to electronic reporting of FCS-388 data by States was done as part of FCS' State Cooperative Data Exchange (SCDEX) Project. This project is being expanded each year as more FCS forms are transformed to electronic formats for State data entry. As of April 1996, 45 State agencies submit the FCS-388 data electronically and 8 State agencies submit paper reports. Respondents: State agencies that administer the Food Stamp Program. Number of Respondents: 53. Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: Form FCS-388: 53 State agencies 12 times a year. Form FCS-388A: 53 State agencies twice a year. Estimate of Burden: Form FCS-388: The State agencies submit Form FCS-388 10 times per year at an estimate of 5.60 hours per
respondent, or 2,970 hours. The remaining two FCS-388 submissions with a public assistance (PA) and non-public assistance (NA) caseload breakout are covered under the FCS-388A twice a year submissions (see below). Form FCS-388A: The State agencies submit a more detailed FCS-388 (with PA and NA breakout) twice a year and FCS-388A project area breakdown twice a year at an estimate of 14.8 hours per respondent, or 1,572 hours. Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: The annual reporting and recordkeeping burden for OMB No. 0584-0081 is estimated to be 4,542 hours and is unchanged from the currently approved burden.
Dated: June 6, 1996. William E. Ludwig, Administrator. [FR Doc. 96-15626 Filed 6-18-96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-30-U