Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefit Expungement and Off-Line Storage

Agency Information Collection Activities: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefit Expungement and Off-Line Storage

Dates

Written comments must be received on or before December 16, 2024.

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: SNAP Benefit Storage and Expungement.

Form Number: Not applicable.

OMB Number: 0584-0673.

Expiration Date: 07/31/2025.

Type of Request: Extension, without change, of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: On August 24, 2020, the Department published the final rule, "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: 2008 Farm Bill Provisions on Clarification of Split Issuance; Accrual of Benefits and Definition Changes" (85 FR 52025) to implement the mandatory SNAP benefit storage and expungement provisions of the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008, Public Law 110-243 (2008 Farm Bill). In the final rule, the Department also adopted as final the provisions in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Public Law 115-334 (2018 Farm Bill), that mandated changes to the requirements governing the storage and expungement of unused benefits.

As a result, State agencies are required to provide a 30-day advance notice prior to permanently expunging unused SNAP benefits that remain in household's account nine months after issuance or after nine months of account inactivity. State agencies that opt to take unused benefits off-line after three months of SNAP EBT account inactivity must also provide up to 10 days advance or concurrent notice prior to taking such action and to reinstate benefits store off-line within 48 hours of a household's request if the benefits have not reached the expungement timeframe. Currently, FNS is not aware of any State agency exercising the option to store unused benefits off-line prior to expungement.

1. Expungement Notice

Affected Public: (a) Individuals/Households and (b) State agencies: Respondent groups identified include: (1) 3,505,979 SNAP households (approximately 18 percent of all SNAP households nationwide) who do not access their benefits within nine months and (2) 53 State SNAP agencies.

a. Individuals/Households Annual Burden

Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 3,505,797.

Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.17.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 4,101,782.

Estimated Annual Time per Response: 3 minutes or 0.05 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 205,089 hours.

b. State Agency Annual Burden

Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 53.

Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 77,392.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 4,101,782.

Estimated Annual Time per Response: 30 seconds or 0.0083 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 34,045 hours.

c. Grand Total Annual Burden

Estimated Annual Number of Respondents: 3,505,850.

Estimated Annual Number of Responses per Respondent: 2.33996434.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 8,203,564.00.

Estimated Annual Time per Response: 0.02915000.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 239,134.

2. Off-Line Storage Notice

Affected Public: No members of the public are affected as FNS is not aware of any State agency currently exercising the option to store benefits off-line.

3. Off-Line Benefit Reinstatement

Affected Public: No members of the public are affected as FNS is not aware of any State agency exercising the option to move benefits off-line, thereby removing the need for reinstatement.