Florida Senate - 2024                              CS for SB 776
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; and
       Senator Powell
       
       
       
       
       586-02948-24                                           2024776c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to temporary cash assistance
    3         eligibility; amending s. 414.095, F.S.; providing that
    4         benefits may not be denied to certain victims of human
    5         trafficking; making technical changes; providing an
    6         effective date.
    7          
    8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
    9  
   10         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 414.095, Florida
   11  Statutes, is amended to read:
   12         414.095 Determining eligibility for temporary cash
   13  assistance.—
   14         (1) ELIGIBILITY.—An applicant must meet the eligibility
   15  requirements of this section before receiving services or
   16  temporary cash assistance under this chapter, except that an
   17  applicant must shall be required to register for work and engage
   18  in work activities in accordance with s. 445.024, as designated
   19  by the local workforce development board, and may receive
   20  support services or child care assistance in conjunction with
   21  such requirement. The department shall make a determination of
   22  eligibility based on the criteria identified listed in this
   23  chapter. The department shall monitor continued eligibility for
   24  temporary cash assistance through periodic reviews consistent
   25  with the food assistance eligibility process. Benefits may not
   26  be denied to an individual solely based on a felony drug
   27  conviction, unless the conviction is for trafficking pursuant to
   28  s. 893.135. If an individual has been determined by the
   29  department to be a victim of human trafficking as defined in s.
   30  943.0583(1), the individual may not be denied benefits solely on
   31  the basis of being convicted of a trafficking offense described
   32  in 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.