Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Status of Claims Against Households (Form FNS-209)

Federal Register: November 21, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 226)

Notices

Page 70614

From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr21no08-24

Page 70614

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection;

Comment Request: Status of Claims Against Households (Form FNS-209)

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. The proposed collection is an extension of a currently approved collection.

The purpose of the Status of Claims Against Households is to provide a standardized format for State agencies submitting reports to the Food and Nutrition Service. Sections 11, 13, and 16 of the Food and

Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act) are the basis for the information collected on Form FNS-209, Status of Claims Against Households. Section 11 of the Act requires that State agencies submit reports and other information that are necessary to determine compliance with the Act and its implementing regulations. Section 13 of the Act requires State agencies to establish claims and collect overpayments against households. Section 16 of the Act authorizes State agencies to retain a portion of what is collected. The FNS-209 is used as the mechanism for

State agencies to report the claim establishment, collection and retention amounts.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before January 20, 2009.

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 Karen Peko, Assistant to the Director,

Program Accountability and Administration Division, 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 Karen

Peko at 703-605-0795. Comments will also be accepted through the

Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://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 p.m. Monday through Friday) at 3101 Park Center Drive,

Room 818, Alexandria, Virginia 22302.

All comments to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget approval. 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 Karen Peko at (703) 305-2481.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Status of Claims Against Households.

OMB Number: 0584-0069.

Form Number: FNS-209.

Expiration Date: May 31, 2009.

Type of Request: Extension of a currently approved collection with no change in burden hours.

Abstract: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) regulations at 7 CFR 273.18 require that State agencies establish, collect and efficiently manage SNAP claims. These processes are required by Sections 11, 13 and 16 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, 7 U.S.C. 2020, 2022 and 2025. Regulations at 7 CFR 273.18(m)(5) require State agencies to submit at the end of every quarter the completed Form FNS-209, Status of Claims Against Households. The information required for the FNS-209 report is obtained from a State accounting system responsible for establishing claims, sending demand letters, collecting claims and managing other claim activity. In general, State agencies must report the following information on the

FNS-209: the current outstanding aggregate claim balance; claims established; collections; any balance and collection adjustments; and the amount to be retained for collecting non-agency error claims. The burden associated with establishing claims (demand letters) and the

Treasury Offset Program, both of which are also used to complete the

FNS-209, are already approved under OMB burden numbers 0584-0492 and 0584-0446 respectively. The estimated annual burden is 742 hours. This is the same as the currently approved burden. This estimate includes the time it takes each State agency to accumulate and tabulate the data necessary to complete the report four times per year.

Affected Public: State agencies.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.

Number of Responses per Respondent: 4.

Total Responses: 212.

Estimated Time per Response: 3 hours.

Reporting Burden: 636.

Total Number of Recordkeepers: 53.

Estimated Annual hours per Recordkeeper: 2.

Recordkeeping Burden: 106.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 742.

Dated: November 12, 2008.

E. Enrique Gomez,

Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.

FR Doc. E8-27742 Filed 11-20-08; 8:45 am

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