This final rule addresses significant comments received in response to the regulatory changes proposed in the proposed rule and finalizes regulatory changes to the Food Stamp Program’s quality control system in the following areas: negative case reviews, state agency minimum sample sizes for active and negative case reviews, state sampling procedures, federal subsample size formulas, error dollar tolerance level, home visits, case completion standards, and miscellaneous technical corrections.
The purpose of this notice is to update for fiscal year 1999 the maximum allotment levels, which are the basis for determining the amount of food stamps which participating households receive and the gross and net income limits for food stamp eligibility.
By this notice, USDA is updating for fiscal year 1999 the maximum food stamp allotments for participating households in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Virgin Islands. These annual adjustments, required by law, take into account changes in the cost of food and statutory adjustments since the amounts were last calculated.