AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, relative to public assistance.
This legislative change is expected to have a significant impact on current public assistance laws in Tennessee by enforcing stricter guidelines on food assistance eligibility. By implementing a monthly review of electronic benefit transactions, the state intends to reduce the number of potential fraud cases related to residency requirements. This may lead to a decrease in the number of recipients of food assistance, affecting low-income households who might depend on these benefits to meet their basic nutritional needs.
Senate Bill 385 aims to amend the Tennessee Code Annotated regarding public assistance, particularly focusing on food aid programs. The bill proposes that the state utilize electronic benefit card data to monitor food assistance recipients who exclusively make purchases outside of Tennessee for extended periods. Recipients identified as not meeting residency requirements will be notified to provide proof of residency within thirty days or risk removal from the food stamp program. The bill introduces a more stringent verification process that aims to ensure that food assistance benefits are provided only to eligible residents of Tennessee.
Notable points of contention surrounding SB 385 include concerns regarding the increased difficulty individuals may face in proving residency, particularly among homeless populations. The bill stipulates that exceptions from work requirements are only to be granted to individuals verified as homeless, which could create barriers for individuals without stable housing. Critics argue that the stringent verification processes could disproportionately disadvantage vulnerable populations, especially those encountering barriers to documentation in securing employment or stable housing.