Florida Senate - 2024                                     SB 776
       
       
        
       By Senator Powell
       
       
       
       
       
       24-01684-24                                            2024776__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to temporary cash assistance
    3         eligibility; amending s. 414.095, F.S.; revising
    4         eligibility requirements for receiving temporary cash
    5         assistance; deleting an exception that allowed denial
    6         of such benefits for individuals with a specified drug
    7         conviction; deleting requirements for a person
    8         convicted of a drug felony to receive such benefits;
    9         providing that the state fully opts out of a specified
   10         federal law; providing an effective date.
   11          
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 414.095, Florida
   15  Statutes, is amended to read:
   16         414.095 Determining eligibility for temporary cash
   17  assistance.—
   18         (1) ELIGIBILITY.—An applicant must meet the eligibility
   19  requirements of this section before receiving services or
   20  temporary cash assistance under this chapter, except that an
   21  applicant must shall be required to register for work and engage
   22  in work activities in accordance with s. 445.024, as designated
   23  by the local workforce development board, and may receive
   24  support services or child care assistance in conjunction with
   25  such requirement. The department shall make a determination of
   26  eligibility based on the criteria identified listed in this
   27  chapter. The department shall monitor continued eligibility for
   28  temporary cash assistance through periodic reviews consistent
   29  with the food assistance eligibility process. Benefits may not
   30  be denied to an individual solely based on a felony drug
   31  conviction, unless the conviction is for trafficking pursuant to
   32  s. 893.135. To be eligible under this section, an individual
   33  convicted of a drug felony must be satisfactorily meeting the
   34  requirements of the temporary cash assistance program, including
   35  all substance abuse treatment requirements. Within the limits
   36  specified in this chapter, The state opts out of the provision
   37  of Pub. L. No. 104-193, s. 115, which that eliminates
   38  eligibility for temporary cash assistance and food assistance
   39  for any individual convicted of a controlled substance felony.
   40         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2024.