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,

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rulings, delegations of authority, filing of

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statements of organization and functions are

examples of documents appearing in this

section.

Notices Federal Register

59642

Vol. 62, No. 213

Tuesday, November 4, 1997

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Consumer Service

Food Stamp Program: Agency

Information Collection Activities:

Proposed Collection; Comment

Request; Waivers Under Section 6(o)

of the Food Stamp Act

AGENCY: Food and Consumer 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.

Section 6(o) of the Food Stamp Act of

1977, as amended by Section 824 of the

Personal Responsibility and Work

Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996,

establishes a time limit for the receipt of

food stamp benefits for certain ablebodied adults who are not working. The

provision authorizes the Secretary of

Agriculture, upon a State agency’s

request, to waive the provision for any

group of individuals if the Secretary

determines ‘‘that the area in which the

individuals reside has an

unemployment rate of over 10 percent,

or does not have a sufficient number of

jobs to provide employment for the

individuals.’’ As required in the statute,

in order to receive a waiver the State

agency must submit sufficient

supporting information so that the

United States Department of Agriculture

(USDA) can make the required

determination as to the area’s

unemployment rate or sufficiency of

available jobs. This collection of

information is therefore necessary in

order to obtain waivers of the food

stamp time limit.

DATES: Written comments must be

received on or before January 5, 1998.

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 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 used;

(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility,

and clarity of the information to be

collected; (d) ways to minimize the

burden of the collection of information

on those who 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

Margaret Batko, Assistant Branch Chief,

Certification Policy Branch, Program

Development Division, Food and

Consumer Service, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, 3101 Park Center Drive,

Alexandria, VA 22302. Comments may

also be faxed to the attention of Ms.

Batko at (703) 305–2486. The internet

address is:

MargaretlBatko@FCS.USDA.GOV. All

written comments will be open for

public inspection at the office of the

Food and Consumer Service during

regular business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5

p.m., Monday through Friday) at 3101

Park Center Drive, Room 720,

Alexandria, VA 22302.

All responses to this notice will be

summarized and included in the request

for OMB approval. All comments will

be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information

should be directed to Ms. Batko at (703)

305–2516.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Waiver Guidance for Food

Stamp Time Limits.

OMB Number: 0584–0479.

Form Number: Not a form.

Expiration Date: 6/30/97.

Type of Request: Reinstatement with

change of a previously approved

information collection for which

approval has expired.

Abstract: Section 824 of the Personal

Responsibility and Work Opportunity

Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L. 104–

193, 110 Stat. 2323 (7 U.S.C. 2015)

(PRWORA) establishes a time limit for

the receipt of food stamp benefits for

certain able-bodied adults who are not

working. The provision authorizes the

Secretary of Agriculture, upon a State

agency’s request, to waive the provision

for any group of individuals if the

Secretary determines ‘‘that the area in

which the individuals reside has an

unemployment rate of over 10 percent;

or (ii) does not have a sufficient number

of jobs to provide employment for the

individuals.’’ As required in the statute,

in order to receive a waiver the State

agency must submit sufficient

supporting information so that USDA

can make the required determination as

to the area’s unemployment rate or

sufficiency of available jobs. This

collection of information is therefore

necessary in order to obtain waivers of

the food stamp time limit. Since the

provision was implemented (the

effective date of the legislation was

August 22, 1996), the Food and

Consumer Service (FCS) has received

requests for waivers from 44 State

agencies. A total of 102 separate waiver

requests have been received by FCS

through September 19, 1997. Each

request submitted by a State agency to

exempt individuals residing in specified

areas is considered by FCS to be a

separate request, since the requested

exemptions may be based on different

criteria, are submitted at different times,

and require separate analysis. A

significant number of State agencies

have submitted multiple requests. Since

these waivers must be renewed on an

annual basis and new ones may be

submitted to reflect changing labor

market conditions, FCS anticipates

receipt of approximately the same

number of waiver requests every year.

Affected Public: State and Local

governments.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

44.

Estimated Number of Responses: 100.

Estimated Time per Response: 20

hours.

Estimated Total Burden: 2000 hours.

Dated: October 23, 1997.

Yvette Jackson,

Acting Administrator, Food and Consumer

Service.

[FR Doc. 97–29129 Filed 11–3–97; 8:45 am]

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