Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Federal Claims Collection Methods for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipient Claims, 12577-12580 [2019-06318]
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 63 / Tuesday, April 2, 2019 / Notices
unadulterated, and properly labeled and
packaged.
FSIS is requesting a revision to the
approved information collection
regarding the importation of
undenatured inedible products. FSIS
uses the forms in this information
collection to identify and keep track of
product not subject to FSIS import
reinspection requirements. The
approval for this information collection
will expire on September 30, 2019. FSIS
is adding to this collection a form for
samples of this product taken for
laboratory examination, research,
evaluative testing, or trade show
exhibition, to ensure this product is not
distributed in commerce. The Agency
has increased the burden estimate by
23,263 hours due to updated
information and the addition of this
form.
Undenatured inedible meat and egg
products may be imported into the
United States if they meet the
requirements of FSIS’s regulations (9
CFR 325.11(e) and 590.45(d)).
Additionally, foreign governments are to
petition FSIS for approval to import
undenatured inedible egg products into
the United States (9 CFR 590.45(d)).
Firms complete FSIS Form 9540–4,
‘‘Permit Holder—Importation of
Undenatured Inedible Product’’ for the
undenatured inedible product that they
are importing into the United States.
FSIS uses the information on the Form
9540–4 to keep track of the movement
of imported undenatured inedible meat
and egg products.
Additionally, meat, poultry, and egg
product samples destined for laboratory
examination, research, evaluative
testing, or trade show exhibition are not
subject to FSIS import reinspection
requirements. Firms will be required to
complete FSIS Form 9540–5,
‘‘Notification of Intent to Import Meat,
Poultry, Or Egg Products ‘Samples for
Laboratory Examination, Research,
Evaluative Testing or Trade Show
Exhibition’ ’’ to ensure that samples
imported into the United States are not
mixed with product that will be sold or
distributed in commerce. (9 CFR 327.19,
and 381.207, and 590.960).
FSIS has made the following
estimates based upon an information
collection assessment:
Respondents: Importers.
Estimate of Burden: FSIS estimates
that it will take respondents an average
of 115 hours annually to complete and
submit these forms to FSIS.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
209.
Estimated Number of Annual
Responses per Respondent: 360.
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Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: 23,930 hours.
Copies of this information collection
assessment can be obtained from Gina
Kouba, Office of Policy and Program
Development, Food Safety and
Inspection Service, USDA, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Room 6065,
South Building, Washington, DC 20250–
3700; (202) 720–5627.
Comments are invited on: (a) Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of FSIS’s functions, including whether
the information will have practical
utility; (b) the accuracy of FSIS’s
estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection of information, including the
validity of the method 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, including through the use
of appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques, or other forms of
information technology. Comments may
be sent to both FSIS, at the addresses
provided above, and the Desk Officer for
Agriculture, Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Office of
Management and Budget, Washington,
DC 20253.
Responses to this notice will be
summarized and included in the request
for OMB approval. All comments will
also become a matter of public record.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of
rulemaking and policy development is
important. Consequently, FSIS will
announce this Federal Register
publication on-line through the FSIS
web page located at: https://
www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
FSIS also will also announce and
provide a link to it through the FSIS
Constituent Update, which is used to
provide information regarding FSIS
policies, procedures, regulations,
Federal Register notices, FSIS public
meetings, and other types of information
that could affect or would be of interest
to our constituents and stakeholders.
The Constituent Update is available on
the FSIS web page. Through the web
page, FSIS can provide information to a
much broader, more diverse audience.
In addition, FSIS offers an email
subscription service which provides
automatic and customized access to
selected food safety news and
information. This service is available at:
https://www.fsis.usda.gov/subscribe.
Options range from recalls to export
information, regulations, directives, and
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notices. Customers can add or delete
subscriptions themselves and have the
option to password protect their
accounts.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
No agency, officer, or employee of the
USDA shall, on the grounds of race,
color, national origin, religion, sex,
gender identity, sexual orientation,
disability, age, marital status, family/
parental status, income derived from a
public assistance program, or political
beliefs, exclude from participation in,
deny the benefits of, or subject to
discrimination any person in the United
States under any program or activity
conducted by the USDA.
How To File a Complaint of
Discrimination
To file a complaint of discrimination,
complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, which
may be accessed online at https://
www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/
docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_
12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you
or your authorized representative.
Send your completed complaint form
or letter to USDA by mail, fax, or email:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
DC 20250–9410.
Fax: (202) 690–7442.
Email: program.intake@usda.gov.
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.),
should contact USDA’s TARGET Center
at (202) 720–2600 (voice and TDD).
Done in Washington.
Carmen M. Rottenberg,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2019–06298 Filed 4–1–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–DM–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection
Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request—Federal Claims
Collection Methods for Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program
Recipient Claims
Food and Nutrition Service,
USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
Notice invites the general public and
other public agencies to comment on
proposed information collections. This
SUMMARY:
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revision of an existing collection
announces the intent of the Food and
Nutrition Service to revise and continue
the requirements associated with
initiating and conducting Federal
collection actions against households
with delinquent Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP) recipient
debts.
DATES: Written comments must be
submitted on or before June 3, 2019 to
be assured consideration.
ADDRESSES: 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.
Comments may be sent to Jane
Duffield, Chief, State Administration
Branch, Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition
Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive,
Room 818, Alexandria, Virginia, 22302.
Comments may also be submitted via
fax to the attention of Jane Duffield at
703–605–0795. Comments will also be
accepted through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://
www.regulations.gov and follow the
online instructions for submitting
comments electronically.
All written comments will be open for
public inspection at the office of the
Food and Nutrition Service during
regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5:00
p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101
Park Center Drive, Alexandria, Virginia
22302, Room 818.
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:
Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection
should be directed to Richard
Duckworth at (703) 605–4271.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Federal Claims Collection
Methods for Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program Recipient Claims.
OMB Number: 0584–0446.
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Form Number: None.
Expiration Date: September 30, 2019.
Type of Request: Revision of a
currently approved collection.
Abstract: Section 13(b) of the Food
and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amended
(7 U.S.C. 2022(b)), and Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
regulations at 7 CFR 273.18 require
State agencies to refer delinquent
debtors for SNAP benefit over-issuance
to the U.S. Department of the Treasury
for collection. The Debt Collection
Improvement Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104–
134), as amended by the Digital
Accountability and Transparency Act of
2014 (Pub. L. 113–101), requires these
debts to be referred to Treasury for
collection when they are 120 days or
more delinquent. Through the Treasury
Offset Program (TOP), 31 CFR part 285,
payments such as Federal income tax
refunds, Federal salaries and other
Federal payments payable to these
delinquent debtors will be offset and the
amount applied to the delinquent debt.
TOP places a burden on States agencies
and/or former SNAP recipients who
owe delinquent debts in three areas: (1)
60-day notices from State agencies to
debtors that their debt will be referred
to TOP; (2) State-level submissions; and
(3) automated data processing (ADP).
Below, the burden narrative and chart
depicts the burden estimates by these
three areas and affected public.
TOP 60-Day Notice Burden
The burden associated with the
information collection involves both the
households (debtors) and the State
agencies. The TOP 60-day notice
notifies the household of the proposed
referral to TOP and provides the right
for review and appeal. The State agency
prepares and mails the notices as well
as responds to inquiries and appeals.
The household, in turn, receives and
reads the notice and may make an
inquiry or appeal the impending action.
Based on an average of the number of
records for claims the States sent to TOP
for calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and
2018, we estimate that State agencies
will produce and send and that
households will read 305,020 TOP 60day notices. We estimate that the
households will submit and State
agencies will respond to about 21,351
phone and informal inquiries.
Households will file and the States will
respond to an estimated 1,829 appeals.
An additional 3,000 notices will be sent
directly from FNS to Federal employees
concerning the potential offset of their
Federal salary. Historically, 30 percent
of these notices will result in a phone
inquiry from a household; and
approximately 20 notices will result in
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a formal appeal to FNS requiring
documentation from the State. Thus, the
total number of responses for the 60-day
notice and household inquiry is 660,340
responses (332,120 household responses
+ 328,220 State Agency responses) per
year resulting in an annual reporting
burden of 43,563 hours. The existing
burden for activity relating to the 60-day
notice is 33,960.80 hours. The net
increase of 9,602 hours is due to an
increase in the average number of 60day notices sent to debtors by State
agencies between 2014 and 2018.
TOP State-Level Submissions
Treasury prescribes specific processes
and file formats for FNS to use to send
debts to TOP. FNS provides guidance
and file formats to State agencies and
monitors their compliance with such.
State agencies must submit an annual
letter to FNS certifying that all of the
debts submitted in the past and all debts
to be submitted in the upcoming
calendar year by the State agency to
TOP are valid and legally enforceable in
the amount stated. FNS estimates that it
will take State agencies a total of 26.5
hours per year for these State
submissions. This burden has not
changed with this activity. State
agencies also report TOP collections on
the FNS–209 form, ‘‘Status of Claims
Against Households.’’ The burden for
completing the FNS–209 is covered
under OMB number 0584–0594.
TOP ADP Burden
The burden for ADP includes weekly
file processing, monthly address
requests and system maintenance.
Weekly and monthly file processing
includes requesting addresses to use to
send out 60-day notices, adding and
maintaining debts in TOP, correcting
errors on unprocessable records, and
posting weekly collection files. Much of
this activity is completed using
automation and involves an estimated
1.4 million records annually. FNS
estimates that this activity takes
12,374.82 annual reporting and 689
recordkeeping burden hours. This
burden has not changed with this
activity.
Summary of Estimated Burden
The net aggregate change from the
existing to the revised annual burden for
this entire Information Collection is an
increase of 9,602 hours from the
previous submission. For the activity
relating to the 60-day notice, we are
increasing the estimated annual burden
for State agencies and households from
33,960.80 hours to 43,563 hours to
reflect an increase in the number of
notices and the resulting inquiries and
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appeals. The State-level submissions
portion of the reporting and
recordkeeping burden is estimated to
require the same number of hours as the
currently approved collection, 26.5
hours. The annual ADP portion of this
burden package is also estimated to
require the same number of hours as the
currently approved collection, 12,374.82
reporting and 689 recordkeeping hours.
This results in a final total of 56,653
annual burden hours.
Reporting Burden
Affected Public: Households/Debtors.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
305,020.
Estimated Hours per Response: .07.
Estimated Total Annual Burden:
23,757.40 hours.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 1.09.
Estimated Total Number of Annual
Responses: 332,120.
Estimated Hours per Response:
0.096974.
Estimated Total Annual Burden:
32,206.92 hours.
Affected Public: State and local
government.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
53.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 6,315.92.
Estimated Total Number of Annual
Responses: 334,744.
State Agency Recordkeeping Burden
Affected Public: State and local
government.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
53.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 52.
Estimated Total Number of Annual
Responses: 2,756.
Estimated Hours per Response: .25.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 689.
REPORTING AND RECORDKEEPING BURDEN ESTIMATES
Section of Reg.
Number of
responses
per
respondent
Number of
respondents
Description
Total
annual
responses
Hours per
response
Total annual
burden
hours
Households (Debtors) A. Due-Process Notice Requirements.
Reading State Issued Notice ......................
Informal Inquiries to State ...........................
Formal Appeals to State .............................
Reading FNS issued letter to Federal employees.
Phone Inquiries and informal appeals for
FNS letter.
Formal appeals to FNS ...............................
305,020
21,351
1,829
3,000
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
305,020
21,351
1,829
3,000
0.08
0.25
0.50
0.0835
25,469.17
5,337.75
914.50
250.50
900
1.00
900
0.25
225.00
20
1.00
20
0.5
10.00
......................................................................
305,020
1.09
332,120
0.0969737
32,206.92
State Notice Production ..............................
Responding to State Phone/informal Inquires.
Responding to State Formal Appeals .........
Providing documents for formal appeals to
FNS.
53
53
5,755.09
402.85
305,020
21,351
0.02
0.25
5,093.83
5,337.75
53
53
34.51
0.38
1,829
20
0.50
0.5
914.50
10.00
Certification Letter .......................................
1
53
0.50
26.50
1.00
System Compatibility File ............................
Address File ................................................
Collections File ............................................
State Agency Profile ...................................
Testing New System ...................................
Weekly Files ................................................
Weekly Files—Post TOP Data ....................
53
53
53
53
5
53
53
1.00
8.00
8.00
1.00
1.00
52.00
52.00
53
424
424
53
5
2,756
2,756
11.50
1.63
6.50
0.25
7.00
1.50
1.50
609.50
693.07
2,756.00
13.25
35.00
4,134.00
4,134.00
Totals ...................................................
......................................................................
53
6,315.92
334,744
0.07
23,757.40
Overall Reporting Totals ...............
......................................................................
305,073
2.19
666,864
0.08
55,964
Totals ...................................................
State Agencies A. Due-Process Notice Requirements:
B. State Agency Reporting:
C. TOP Automated Data Processing:
State Agency Recordkeeping: Per 7
CFR 272.1(f), State agencies are required
to retain all records associated with the
administration of SNAP for no less than
3 years. The burden for the retention of
weekly TOP files is displayed below.
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RECORDKEEPING
Number of recordkeepers
Annual records per recordkeeper
Total records per recordkeeper
Hours per record
Total recordkeeping burden
53
52
2,756
0.25
689.00
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Dated: March 22, 2019.
Brandon Lipps,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2019–06318 Filed 4–1–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Notice of Public Meeting of the Nevada
Advisory Committee
AGENCY:
U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights
ACTION:
Announcement of meeting.
Notice is hereby given,
pursuant to the provisions of the rules
and regulations of the U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights (Commission) and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA) that a meeting of the Nevada
Advisory Committee (Committee) to the
Commission will be held at 1:00 p.m.
(Pacific Time) Monday, April 22, 2019,
the purpose of meeting is for the
committee to continue planning for a
community forum in Northern Nevada
focused on the impact of policing
practices on individuals with mental
health concerns and veterans.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Monday, April 22, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. PT
ADDRESSES: Public Call Information:
Dial: 855–719–5012
Conference ID: 9926088
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ana
Victoria Fortes (DFO) at afortes@
usccr.gov or (213) 894–3437
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
meeting is available to the public
through the following toll-free call-in
number: 855–719–5012, conference ID
number: 9926088. Any interested
member of the public may call this
number and listen to the meeting.
Callers can expect to incur charges for
calls they initiate over wireless lines,
and the Commission will not refund any
incurred charges. Callers will incur no
charge for calls they initiate over landline connections to the toll-free
telephone number. Persons with hearing
impairments may also follow the
proceedings by first calling the Federal
Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 and
providing the Service with the
conference call number and conference
ID number.
Members of the public are entitled to
make comments during the open period
at the end of the meeting. Members of
the public may also submit written
comments; the comments must be
received in the Regional Programs Unit
within 30 days following the meeting.
Written comments may be mailed to the
Western Regional Office, U.S.
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SUMMARY:
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Commission on Civil Rights, 300 North
Los Angeles Street, Suite 2010, Los
Angeles, CA 90012. They may be faxed
to the Commission at (213) 894–0508, or
emailed Ana Victoria Fortes at afortes@
usccr.gov. Persons who desire
additional information may contact the
Regional Programs Unit at (213) 894–
3437.
Records and documents discussed
during the meeting will be available for
public viewing prior to and after the
meeting at https://
www.facadatabase.gov/FACA/
FACAPublicViewCommitteeDetails?
id=a10t0000001gzlJAAQ.
Records generated from this meeting
may also be inspected and reproduced
at the Regional Programs Unit, as they
become available, both before and after
the meeting. Persons interested in the
work of this Committee are directed to
the Commission’s website, https://
www.usccr.gov, or may contact the
Regional Programs Unit at the above
email or street address.
Agenda
I. Welcome
II. Approval of Minutes for March 19,
2019 Meeting
III. Continue planning for Community
Form in Northern Nevada
IV. Public Comment
V. Next Steps
Dated: March 28, 2019.
David Mussatt,
Supervisory Chief, Regional Programs Unit.
[FR Doc. 2019–06374 Filed 4–1–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Notice of Public Meeting of the Florida
Advisory Committee
U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights.
ACTION: Announcement of meeting.
AGENCY:
Agenda
Notice is hereby given,
pursuant to the provisions of the rules
and regulations of the U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights (Commission) and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act that
the Florida Advisory Committee
(Committee) will hold a meeting on
Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at 3.00 p.m.
(EST) for the purpose of planning future
public meetings on voting rights in the
state.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at 3:00 p.m.
(EST).
SUMMARY:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Hinton, DFO, at jhinton@usccr.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Public Call Information: Dial: 800–
667–5617, Conference ID: 7455125.
Members of the public can listen to
the discussion. This meeting is available
to the public through the toll-free callin number dial: 800–667–5617,
Conference ID: 7455125. An open
comment period will be provided to
allow members of the public to make a
statement as time allows. The
conference call operator will ask callers
to identify themselves, the organization
they are affiliated with (if any), and an
email address prior to placing callers
into the conference room. Callers can
expect to incur regular charges for calls
they initiate over wireless lines,
according to their wireless plan. The
Commission will not refund any
incurred charges. Callers will incur no
charge for calls they initiate over landline connections to the toll-free
telephone number. Persons with hearing
impairments may also follow the
proceedings by first calling the Federal
Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 and
providing the Service with the
conference call number and conference
ID number.
Written comments may be mailed to
the Regional Program Unit Office, U.S.
Commission on Civil Rights, 230 S
Dearborn St., Suite 2120, Chicago, IL
60604. They may also be faxed to the
Commission at (312) 353–8324 or may
be emailed to the Regional Director, Jeff
Hinton at jhinton@usccr.gov. Records of
the meeting will be available via
www.facadatabase.gov under the
Commission on Civil Rights, Florida
Advisory Committee link. Persons
interested in the work of this Committee
are directed to the Commission’s
website, https://www.usccr.gov, or may
contact the Regional Program Unit at the
above email or street address.
Jeff
Welcome and Introductions
Discussion: Voting Right Issues in
Florida
Public Comment
Adjournment
Exceptional Circumstance: Pursuant
to 41 CFR 102–3.150, the notice for this
meeting is given less than 15 calendar
days prior to the meeting because of the
exceptional circumstances of the federal
government shutdown.
Dated: March 27, 2019.
David Mussatt,
Supervisory Chief, Regional Programs Unit.
[FR Doc. 2019–06320 Filed 4–1–19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 63 (Tuesday, April 2, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12577-12580]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06318]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;
Comment Request--Federal Claims Collection Methods for Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program Recipient Claims
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this
Notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment
on proposed information collections. This
[[Page 12578]]
revision of an existing collection announces the intent of the Food and
Nutrition Service to revise and continue the requirements associated
with initiating and conducting Federal collection actions against
households with delinquent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) recipient debts.
DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before June 3, 2019 to
be assured consideration.
ADDRESSES: 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.
Comments may be sent to Jane Duffield, Chief, State Administration
Branch, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Food and Nutrition
Service, USDA, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 818, Alexandria, Virginia,
22302. Comments may also be submitted via fax to the attention of Jane
Duffield at 703-605-0795. Comments will also be accepted through the
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov and follow
the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
All written comments will be open for public inspection at the
office of the Food and Nutrition Service during regular business hours
(8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center
Drive, Alexandria, Virginia 22302, Room 818.
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: Requests for additional information or
copies of this information collection should be directed to Richard
Duckworth at (703) 605-4271.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Federal Claims Collection Methods for Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program Recipient Claims.
OMB Number: 0584-0446.
Form Number: None.
Expiration Date: September 30, 2019.
Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
Abstract: Section 13(b) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as
amended (7 U.S.C. 2022(b)), and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) regulations at 7 CFR 273.18 require State agencies to
refer delinquent debtors for SNAP benefit over-issuance to the U.S.
Department of the Treasury for collection. The Debt Collection
Improvement Act of 1996 (Pub. L. 104-134), as amended by the Digital
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-101), requires
these debts to be referred to Treasury for collection when they are 120
days or more delinquent. Through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP), 31
CFR part 285, payments such as Federal income tax refunds, Federal
salaries and other Federal payments payable to these delinquent debtors
will be offset and the amount applied to the delinquent debt. TOP
places a burden on States agencies and/or former SNAP recipients who
owe delinquent debts in three areas: (1) 60-day notices from State
agencies to debtors that their debt will be referred to TOP; (2) State-
level submissions; and (3) automated data processing (ADP). Below, the
burden narrative and chart depicts the burden estimates by these three
areas and affected public.
TOP 60-Day Notice Burden
The burden associated with the information collection involves both
the households (debtors) and the State agencies. The TOP 60-day notice
notifies the household of the proposed referral to TOP and provides the
right for review and appeal. The State agency prepares and mails the
notices as well as responds to inquiries and appeals. The household, in
turn, receives and reads the notice and may make an inquiry or appeal
the impending action. Based on an average of the number of records for
claims the States sent to TOP for calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017 and
2018, we estimate that State agencies will produce and send and that
households will read 305,020 TOP 60-day notices. We estimate that the
households will submit and State agencies will respond to about 21,351
phone and informal inquiries. Households will file and the States will
respond to an estimated 1,829 appeals. An additional 3,000 notices will
be sent directly from FNS to Federal employees concerning the potential
offset of their Federal salary. Historically, 30 percent of these
notices will result in a phone inquiry from a household; and
approximately 20 notices will result in a formal appeal to FNS
requiring documentation from the State. Thus, the total number of
responses for the 60-day notice and household inquiry is 660,340
responses (332,120 household responses + 328,220 State Agency
responses) per year resulting in an annual reporting burden of 43,563
hours. The existing burden for activity relating to the 60-day notice
is 33,960.80 hours. The net increase of 9,602 hours is due to an
increase in the average number of 60-day notices sent to debtors by
State agencies between 2014 and 2018.
TOP State-Level Submissions
Treasury prescribes specific processes and file formats for FNS to
use to send debts to TOP. FNS provides guidance and file formats to
State agencies and monitors their compliance with such. State agencies
must submit an annual letter to FNS certifying that all of the debts
submitted in the past and all debts to be submitted in the upcoming
calendar year by the State agency to TOP are valid and legally
enforceable in the amount stated. FNS estimates that it will take State
agencies a total of 26.5 hours per year for these State submissions.
This burden has not changed with this activity. State agencies also
report TOP collections on the FNS-209 form, ``Status of Claims Against
Households.'' The burden for completing the FNS-209 is covered under
OMB number 0584-0594.
TOP ADP Burden
The burden for ADP includes weekly file processing, monthly address
requests and system maintenance. Weekly and monthly file processing
includes requesting addresses to use to send out 60-day notices, adding
and maintaining debts in TOP, correcting errors on unprocessable
records, and posting weekly collection files. Much of this activity is
completed using automation and involves an estimated 1.4 million
records annually. FNS estimates that this activity takes 12,374.82
annual reporting and 689 recordkeeping burden hours. This burden has
not changed with this activity.
Summary of Estimated Burden
The net aggregate change from the existing to the revised annual
burden for this entire Information Collection is an increase of 9,602
hours from the previous submission. For the activity relating to the
60-day notice, we are increasing the estimated annual burden for State
agencies and households from 33,960.80 hours to 43,563 hours to reflect
an increase in the number of notices and the resulting inquiries and
[[Page 12579]]
appeals. The State-level submissions portion of the reporting and
recordkeeping burden is estimated to require the same number of hours
as the currently approved collection, 26.5 hours. The annual ADP
portion of this burden package is also estimated to require the same
number of hours as the currently approved collection, 12,374.82
reporting and 689 recordkeeping hours. This results in a final total of
56,653 annual burden hours.
Reporting Burden
Affected Public: Households/Debtors.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 305,020.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.09.
Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 332,120.
Estimated Hours per Response: 0.096974.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 32,206.92 hours.
Affected Public: State and local government.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 6,315.92.
Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 334,744.
Estimated Hours per Response: .07.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 23,757.40 hours.
State Agency Recordkeeping Burden
Affected Public: State and local government.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 52.
Estimated Total Number of Annual Responses: 2,756.
Estimated Hours per Response: .25.
Estimated Total Annual Burden: 689.
Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden Estimates
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Number of Total
Number of responses Total Hours per annual
Section of Reg. Description respondents per annual response burden
respondent responses hours
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Households (Debtors) A. Due-Process Notice
Requirements.
Reading State Issued Notice....... 305,020 1.00 305,020 0.08 25,469.17
Informal Inquiries to State....... 21,351 1.00 21,351 0.25 5,337.75
Formal Appeals to State........... 1,829 1.00 1,829 0.50 914.50
Reading FNS issued letter to 3,000 1.00 3,000 0.0835 250.50
Federal employees.
Phone Inquiries and informal 900 1.00 900 0.25 225.00
appeals for FNS letter.
Formal appeals to FNS............. 20 1.00 20 0.5 10.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................................... .................................. 305,020 1.09 332,120 0.0969737 32,206.92
State Agencies A. Due-Process Notice
Requirements:
State Notice Production........... 53 5,755.09 305,020 0.02 5,093.83
Responding to State Phone/informal 53 402.85 21,351 0.25 5,337.75
Inquires.
Responding to State Formal Appeals 53 34.51 1,829 0.50 914.50
Providing documents for formal 53 0.38 20 0.5 10.00
appeals to FNS.
B. State Agency Reporting:
Certification Letter.............. 1 53 0.50 26.50 1.00
C. TOP Automated Data Processing:
System Compatibility File......... 53 1.00 53 11.50 609.50
Address File...................... 53 8.00 424 1.63 693.07
Collections File.................. 53 8.00 424 6.50 2,756.00
State Agency Profile.............. 53 1.00 53 0.25 13.25
Testing New System................ 5 1.00 5 7.00 35.00
Weekly Files...................... 53 52.00 2,756 1.50 4,134.00
Weekly Files--Post TOP Data....... 53 52.00 2,756 1.50 4,134.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals...................................... .................................. 53 6,315.92 334,744 0.07 23,757.40
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Overall Reporting Totals................ .................................. 305,073 2.19 666,864 0.08 55,964
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Agency Recordkeeping: Per 7 CFR 272.1(f), State agencies are
required to retain all records associated with the administration of
SNAP for no less than 3 years. The burden for the retention of weekly
TOP files is displayed below.
Recordkeeping
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual records per Total records per
Number of recordkeepers recordkeeper recordkeeper Hours per record Total recordkeeping burden
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
53 52 2,756 0.25 689.00
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[[Page 12580]]
Dated: March 22, 2019.
Brandon Lipps,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-06318 Filed 4-1-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P
