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: 14 414.095Determining 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.