1. See Methodological Notes, infra.

2. The 1987 federal poverty threshold for a family of three is $9,300.

52 Fed. Reg. 5340 (Feb. 20, 1987).

3. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, U.S. DEP'T OF LABOR, AUTUMN 1981, URBAN FAMILY BUDGETS AND COMPARATIVE INDEXES FOR SELECTED URBAN Areas (Apr. 16, 1982) These figures have been

adjusted to reflect the unique consumption patterns of the lowincome population. For details, see Methodological Notes, infra. Unless otherwise noted, the cost of living in each state corresponds to the BLS regional, non-metropolitan figure.

4. Represents average of allotment levels for urban and two rural regions.

Food Stamps

Methodological Notes

The food stamp benefit amounts calculated are based upon the USDA's current allotment levels for a three-person family with no income other than AFDC payments. These amounts are $214 in the District of Columbia and 48 states, $369 (average) in Alaska, and $336 in Hawaii. Individual state payment levels vary by the differences in the amount of AFDC benefits. These figures were calculated accordingly:

a. Determine Family Net Income (I):

I = AFDC Payment - Deductions

Appropriate deductions include a standard deduction of $99 plus an excess shelter cost of $149, for a total of $248.

b. Perform Benefit Reduction:

n = I x .3 (benefit reduction rate)

c. Determine Food Stamp Grant Amount:
USDA Allotment Level - n

Specifically, $214 - n for the District of Columbia
and the 48 states, $369 - n for Alaska, and $336 - n
for Hawaii.'

The calculation of food stamp benefits assumes that the maximum excess shelter deduction is received and does not include allowances for increased home energy costs available in some states.

The following adjustments were made in the
BLS Lower Budget:

a. Lifestyle Adjustment: First, the BLS Lower Budget components were adjusted to more adequately reflect the living situation of welfare recipients. Therefore, the following items were excluded:

medical expenses, assuming that welfare recipients receive Medicaid;

personal income taxes and social security and disability, assuming that welfare families with no earned income are not responsible for these taxes; other family consumption and other items, assuming that recreation and entertainment expenses are not appropriate for inclusion in a "subsistence" level of living.

These exclusions reduce the annual Lower Budget for an urban family of four by 34.8 percent, or from $15,323 to $9,990.

b. Family Size Adjustment: The BLS budget for a four-person family was reduced by 67 percent (the amount designated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as appropriate) to reflect the income needs of a three-person family.2

c. Inflation Adjustment: The BLS budget was last calculated in 1981. The figures presented in this column have been updated from those presented in a 1984 National Social Science and Law Center column. The August 1984 CPI is 313.0. The January 1987 CPI is 333.1.

2. BUREAU OF LABOR STATIstics, Dep't of Labor, Revised EQUIVALENT SCALE BULLETIN 1570-72 (Nov. 1968). The multiplying factor to adjust the urban family budget from that of a family of four (husband, nonworking wife, and two children) to that of a family of three (mother under 35 and two children) is 67 percent.

SEE Computer and Research News Section for results of computer research based on this article, page 150.

1. FOOD & NUTRITION SERV. DIV., DEP'T OF AGRIC., FOOD STAMP PROGRAM (Oct. 1986).

The following are the results of computer searches performed by the Clearinghouse Computer-Assisted Research (CCAR) project. These results are available free of charge and can be ordered using the number following the description of the results in the same manner as any other Clearinghouse document. If you wish to have the computer search updated, call or write:

National Clearinghouse for Legal Services
Clearinghouse Computer-Assisted Research Project
407 S. Dearborn, Room 400
Chicago, IL 60605

1-800-621-3256 (outside Illinois), or
1-312-939-3834 (inside Illinois)

COMPUTER SEARCH RESULTS ARE AVAILABLE TO LSC-FUNDED PROGRAMS ONLY.

Rehabilitation Act/Section 1983. Citations to 45 federal court cases that cite to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and discuss violations of section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. (87-4-11)

HOUSING

Mortgages/Foreclosure/Res Judicata. Citations to 13 federal court cases, 11 state court cases, and 5 ALR annotations that discuss mortgage foreclosures and res judicata. (87-4-16) Public Housing/Grievance Procedures. Citations to 29 federal court cases, 29 state court cases, and 2 ALR annotations that discuss public housing grievance procedures. (87-4-10)

Public Housing/HUD Handbook. Citations to 21 federal court cases, 10 state court cases, and 4 ALR annotations that discuss the binding effect of HUD Handbook provisions. (87-4-15)

ATTORNEYS/LEGAL SERVICES

State Justice Institute. This guideline sets forth the procedures and program areas eligible for FY 1987 funding from the State Justice Institute. The guideline describes the application process, identifies "special interest" program categories, and provides general information on conditions and limitations on awards. The Institute was established to improve the administration of justice in the state courts. One of its responsibilities is to direct a national program of financial assistance designed to assure that everyone is provided ready access to the justice system. This final guideline was effective April 8, 1987. 52 Fed. Reg. 7249 (Mar. 9, 1987).

CIVIL PROCEDURE/

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW

Administrative Claims Under the Federal Tort Claims Act. The Department of Justice clarifies the requirement that a claim under the Tort Claims Act include evidence of an agent's or legal representative's authority to present the claim on behalf of a claimant. The claimant or his or her duly authorized agent or legal representative must notify a federal agency of an incident, accompanied by a claim for money damages in a specified sum for injury to or loss of property, personal injury, or death alleged to have occurred by reason of the incident. This final rule amending 28 C.FR. Part 14 was effective March 11, 1987. 52 Fed. Reg. 7411 (Mar. 11, 1987).

CONSUMER

Salary Offset. The Postal Service plans to participate in computer matching activities under a routine use it is adding to a system of records entitled "Finance Records-Payroll System." The routine use will permit the Postal Service to disclose limited information about its current and former employees to requesting federal agencies for the purpose of identifying postal employees indebted to those agencies under programs administered by the agencies. Upon verification of the indebtedness, the postal employee's salary will be offset pursuant to the Debt Collection Act. This final notice of a records system change was effective March 2, 1987. 52 Fed. Reg. 6251 (Mar. 2, 1987).

Debt Collection. The Farmers Home Administration is establishing procedures for referring delinquent amounts owed to FmHA to the Secretary of the Treasury to collect by offset against federal income tax refunds. This interim rule at 7 C.FR. Part 1951, which expires on July 1, 1987, was effective March 3, 1987. 52 Fed. Reg. 6319 (Mar. 3, 1987).

Basic Financial Services. Five federal agencies and three associations of state supervisors are issuing a joint policy statement (approved by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council in October 1986) that encourages efforts of trade associations and individual depository institutions to offer basic financial services that would be accessible to low- and moderateincome consumers. The policy statement identifies the basic financial needs that should be considered, such as a safe place to keep money, a way to get cash, and a way to make third-party payments. This joint policy was effective March 3, 1987. 52 Fed. Reg. 7024 (Mar. 6, 1987).

Written Warranty Terms. The FTC has amended Rule 702, a rule concerning the presale availability of written warranty terms, to omit specified retailer compliance options. This final rule provides retailers with a choice either of displaying the warranty text near the product or furnishing the warranty text for examination to any consumer upon request and posting signs reasonably calculated to inform consumers that warranties are available upon request. This final rule amending 16 C.FR. Part 702 was to be effective April 13, 1987. 52 Fed. Reg. 7569 (Mar. 12, 1987).

Liability Risk Retention Act. The Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs is preparing a report to be submitted to the Congress by September 1, 1987, on implementing the Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986. The report will describe the Secretary of Commerce's views concerning the extent to which, in the implementation of the Act, the public is protected from unsound financial practices and other commercial abuses involving risk retention groups and purchasing groups. The comment deadline is August 1, 1987. 52 Fed. Reg. 8323 (Mar. 17, 1987).

FSLIC Insurance Coverage of Deposit Accounts. The Federal Home Loan Bank Board is withdrawing (1) a proposal to revise its regulations governing the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation (FSLIC) insurance coverage of deposit accounts (50 Fed. Reg. 19185 (May 7, 1985)); and (2) a supplemental notice to the proposal that would concern the effective date of any changes in the regulations as they pertain to certificates of deposit securing certain tax-exempt bonds (52 Fed. Reg. 3126 (Feb. 2, 1987)). The Board has decided to study further the problems that the proposals were designed to address. This withdrawal was effective March 19, 1987. 52 Fed. Reg. 8611 (Mar. 19, 1987).

CRIMINAL LAW AND PROCEDURE

Crime Victim Compensation and Assistance Grants. The Office of Justice Programs is revising its guidelines for the crime victim compensation and assistance grant provisions of the Victims of Crime Act of 1984. The services provided to the victim under the compensation grant provisions include compensation for crimerelated medical expenses (including mental health counseling and care), lost wages, and funeral expenses. The services provided to the victim under the assistance grant provisions include crisis intervention; assistance to victims in determining the status of, and participating in, criminal justice proceedings; and assistance in securing victims' compensation benefits. Four and a half percent of the annual grants from a Crime Victims Fund will go to projects authorized by the Children's Justice and Assistance Act. The final guidelines for the compensation grants were effective March 25, 1987, while the final guidelines for the assistance grants were effective April 1, 1987. 52 Fed. Reg. 9555 (Mar. 25, 1987); 52 Fed. Reg. 10421 (Apr. 1. 1987).

EDUCATION

PLUS and Supplemental Loans for Students Programs. The Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education announces the interest rate for variable rate Supplemental Loans for Students (SLS) and PLUS loans to be 10.03 percent for calendar year 1987. The interest rate for SLS and PLUS loans for periods of enrollment beginning before July 1, 1987, continues