Florida Senate - 2025                                     SB 828
       
       
        
       By Senator Bernard
       
       
       
       
       
       24-00904A-25                                           2025828__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to temporary cash assistance
    3         eligibility; amending s. 414.095, F.S.; removing the
    4         prohibition against awarding benefits to a person who
    5         has a felony drug conviction for trafficking; removing
    6         specified requirements for a person convicted of a
    7         drug felony to receive benefits; providing an
    8         effective date.
    9          
   10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   11  
   12         Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 414.095, Florida
   13  Statutes, is amended to read:
   14         414.095 Determining eligibility for temporary cash
   15  assistance.—
   16         (1) ELIGIBILITY.—An applicant must meet the eligibility
   17  requirements of this section before receiving services or
   18  temporary cash assistance under this chapter, except that an
   19  applicant is shall be required to register for work and engage
   20  in work activities in accordance with s. 445.024, as designated
   21  by the local workforce development board, and may receive
   22  support services or child care assistance in conjunction with
   23  such requirement. The department shall make a determination of
   24  eligibility based on the criteria listed in this chapter. The
   25  department shall monitor continued eligibility for temporary
   26  cash assistance through periodic reviews consistent with the
   27  food assistance eligibility process. Benefits may not be denied
   28  to an individual solely based on a felony drug conviction.,
   29  unless the conviction is for trafficking pursuant to s. 893.135.
   30  To be eligible under this section, an individual convicted of a
   31  drug felony must be satisfactorily meeting the requirements of
   32  the temporary cash assistance program, including all substance
   33  abuse treatment requirements. Within the limits specified in
   34  this chapter, The state opts out of the provision of Pub. L. No.
   35  104-193, s. 115, that eliminates eligibility for temporary cash
   36  assistance and food assistance for any individual convicted of a
   37  controlled substance felony.
   38         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.