Notice2022-24151
Agency Information Collection Activities: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: State Agency Options for Standard Utility Allowances and Self-Employment Income
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 7, 2022
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentFood and Nutrition Service
Abstract
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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 214 (Monday, November 7, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 214 (Monday, November 7, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67008-67010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[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.
<bullet> Preferred Method: Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, and follow the online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
<bullet> 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
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#faa9b4bbaab9aab8a88f969f89ba8f899e9bd49d958c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fdaeb3bcadbeadbfaf8891988ebd888e999cd39a928b">[email protected]</span></a>.
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
<a href="https://fprs.fns.usda.gov">https://fprs.fns.usda.gov</a>. 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 <a href="https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/waivers/state-options-report">https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/waivers/state-options-report</a>.
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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
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