Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC): Income Eligibility Guidelines, 17006-17007 [2012-7037]
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[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 57 (Friday, March 23, 2012)] [Notices] [Pages 17006-17007] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 2012-7037] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 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, 2012. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Hines, Branch 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 29114, June 24, 1983, and 49 FR 22676, 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 2012/2013 was published by the Department of Health and Human [[Page 17007]] Services (HHS) at 77 FR 4034, January 26, 2012. 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, 2012, through June 30, 2013. 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, 2012. State agencies that do not coordinate implementation with the revised Medicaid guidelines must implement the WIC income eligibility guidelines on July 1, 2012. 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, 2012 to June 30, 2013] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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......................................... $11,170 $931 $466 $430 $215 $20,665 $1,723 $862 $795 $398 2......................................... 15,130 1,261 631 582 291 27,991 2,333 1,167 1,077 539 3......................................... 19,090 1,591 796 735 368 35,317 2,944 1,472 1,359 680 4......................................... 23,050 1,921 961 887 444 42,643 3,554 1,777 1,641 821 5......................................... 27,010 2,251 1,126 1,039 520 49,969 4,165 2,083 1,922 961 6......................................... 30,970 2,581 1,291 1,192 596 57,295 4,775 2,388 2,204 1,102 7......................................... 34,930 2,911 1,456 1,344 672 64,621 5,386 2,693 2,486 1,243 8......................................... 38,890 3,241 1,621 1,496 748 71,947 5,996 2,998 2,768 1,384 Each add'l family member add.............. +3,960 +330 +165 +153 +77 +7,326 +611 +306 +282 +141 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alaska -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1......................................... 13,970 1,165 583 538 269 25,845 2,154 1,077 995 498 2......................................... 18,920 1,577 789 728 364 35,002 2,917 1,459 1,347 674 3......................................... 23,870 1,990 995 919 460 44,160 3,680 1,840 1,699 850 4......................................... 28,820 2,402 1,201 1,109 555 53,317 4,444 2,222 2,051 1,026 5......................................... 33,770 2,815 1,408 1,299 650 62,475 5,207 2,604 2,403 1,202 6......................................... 38,720 3,227 1,614 1,490 745 71,632 5,970 2,985 2,756 1,378 7......................................... 43,670 3,640 1,820 1,680 840 80,790 6,733 3,367 3,108 1,554 8......................................... 48,620 4,052 2,026 1,870 935 89,947 7,496 3,748 3,460 1,730 Each add'l family member add.............. +4,950 +413 +207 +191 +96 +9,158 +764 +382 +353 +177 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hawaii -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1......................................... 12,860 1,072 536 495 248 23,791 1,983 992 916 458 2......................................... 17,410 1,451 726 670 335 32,209 2,685 1,343 1,239 620 3......................................... 21,960 1,830 915 845 423 40,626 3,386 1,693 1,563 782 4......................................... 26,510 2,210 1,105 1,020 510 49,044 4,087 2,044 1,887 944 5......................................... 31,060 2,589 1,295 1,195 598 57,461 4,789 2,395 2,211 1,106 6......................................... 35,610 2,968 1,484 1,370 685 65,879 5,490 2,745 2,534 1,267 7......................................... 40,160 3,347 1,674 1,545 773 74,296 6,192 3,096 2,858 1,429 8......................................... 44,710 3,726 1,863 1,720 860 82,714 6,893 3,447 3,182 1,591 Each add'l family member add.............. +4,550 +380 +190 +175 +88 +8,418 +702 +351 +324 +162 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 19, 2012. Jeffrey J. Tribiano, Acting Administrator. [FR Doc. 2012-7037 Filed 3-22-12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
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