SNAP Trafficking Controls and Fraud Investigations Notice

Content

ACTION:

Notice. Renewal of a previously approved information collection.

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to
comment on this proposed information collection. This collection is a revision of a currently approved collection. This information
collection announces the intent of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to revise and report on the activities associated
with the replacement of multiple Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards,
as well as the monitoring and notices associated with excessive requests for replacement SNAP EBT cards.

DATES:

Written comments must be received on or before May 11, 2026.

ADDRESSES:

Comments may be sent to Maribelle Balbes, Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place,
5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314, or (703) 605-4272. Comments may also be submitted via email to snapsab@usda.gov. 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 responses to this notice will be summarized
and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 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 Dr. Casey Lowe at (703)
659-7361 or snapsab@usda.gov.

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: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Trafficking Controls and Fraud Investigations (Card Replacement).

Form Number: N/A.

OMB Control Number: 0584-0587.

Expiration Date: 04/30/2026.

Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.

Abstract: Per Federal regulations at 274.6(b)(6), (1) state agencies are required to monitor EBT card replacement requests and send notices to the household upon their fourth request
for a replacement card within a 12-month period. Upon requesting the fourth replacement card, state agencies are required
to send a notice to the

  household specifying the number of cards requested over what period of time, an explanation of what is considered misuse or
  fraudulent use of their benefits, and that their account is being monitored for potential trafficking activity.

State agencies also have the option to withhold the replacement card if the household has reached the excessive card replacement
threshold set by the state agency. The threshold set by the state agency must not be less than four cards within a 12-month
period. Per Federal regulations at 7 CFR 274.6(b)(5), (2) state agencies have the option to require that a household member contact the state agency to explain the reason for requesting
a new EBT card if the state agency determines that the requests are excessive. State agencies must notify the household in
writing when they reach their replacement card threshold. The state agency will withhold the replacement card until the household
provides an explanation by contacting the state agency. If fraud is suspected, the state agency will refer the household for
investigation and, when deemed necessary, provide written notification to the household.

Reporting

Affected Public: Individual/Household.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 292,064.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 292,064.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.0607.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 17,737.92.

| Section
of reg | | Number of
respondents | Number of
responses perrespondent | Total annual
responses | Hours per
response | Total annual
burden hours |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Individuals/Households | | | | | | |
| 274.6(b)(5) | Reading Withhold Replacement Card Warning Notice | 32,127 | 1 | 32,127 | 0.0334 | 1,073.04 |
| 274.6(b)(5) | Reading Replacement Card Withheld Notice and Making Contact with State agency |  16,064 | 1 | 16,064 | 0.5000 | 8,031.76 |
| 274.6(b)(6) | Reading Excessive Replacement Card Notice | 258,477 | 1 | 258,477 | 0.0334 | 8,633.12 |
| Household Total | | 292,064 | 1 | 292,064 | 0.0607 | 17,737.92 |
| * 16,064 Individuals/Households (I/H) SNAP participants are the same I/H accounted for in the 32,127 and therefore not double
counted. | | | | | | |
*Affected Public: State Agencies.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.

Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 5,511.

Estimated Total Annual Responses: 292,064.

Estimated Time per Response: 0.0334.

Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 10,242.68.

Using SNAP participation data, FNS estimates that there are about 292,064 households affected annually by the excessive replacement
card procedures outlined in this information collection request. FNS estimates it will take a total of 17,737.92 hours for
these households to complete the tasks associated with this information collection. The most recent SNAP data shows a decrease
in participation as compared with fiscal year (FY) 2021 data used in the last submission for this information request; therefore,
there is a decrease of 5,001.84 burden hours compared to the previous burden hours approved by the OMB (22,739 (FY23 household
burden hours)−17,737.92 (current household burden hours) = 5,001.84 hours. The household burden hours include reading excessive
replacement card notices from the State agency and when applicable, contacting the state agency to explain the reason for
the excessive card requests.

The total burden hours, including household and state agency burden hours, for this information request has decreased by 7,881.86
hours as compared to the most recent information collection approved by OMB in FY23 (35,862.48 (FY23 total burden hours)−27,980.61
(current total burden hours) = 7,881.86 burden hours).

| Section of Reg | Description | Number of
respondents | Number of
responses perrespondent | Total annual
responses | Hours per
response | Total annual
burden hours |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| State Agencies | | | | | | |
| 274.6(b)(5) | Withhold Replacement Card Warning Notice | 6 | 5,355 | 32,127 | 0.0334 | 1,073.04 |
| 274.6(b)(5) | Replacement Card Withheld Notice | 6 | 2,677 | 16,064 | 0.0334 | 536.52 |
| 274.6(b)(6) | Excessive Replacement Card Notice | 47 | 5,500 | 258,477 | 0.0334 | 8,633.12 |
| State Agency Total | | 53 | 5,511 | 292,064 | 0.0334 | 10,242.68 |
There is no change in the number of state agency respondents, 53. FNS estimates that out of 53 state agencies, 47 send the
excessive replacement card notice. The remaining six state agencies implement the option to withhold the replacement SNAP
card and require the household to contact the state agency to explain the reason for their excessive SNAP card replacement
requests before the card is replaced. This estimation has not changed since the last submission of this information collection
request.

FY23 total state agency burden hours were updated from 13,122.72 to 10,242.68 for FY26. The total burden hours for state agencies
for this information collection has decreased by 2,880.04 burden hours.

Patrick A. Penn, Deputy Under Secretary, Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture. [FR Doc. 2026-04775 Filed 3-10-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-30-P

Footnotes

(1) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/part-274/section-274.6#p-274.6(b)(6).

(2) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/part-274/section-274.6#p-274.6(b)(5).

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