The governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, announced this Monday in Tampa an amendment to the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to restrict the use of assistance for certain non-essential purchases.
With the amendment to the State Plan of the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF), Florida aims to become the first state in the nation to prohibit the use of Cash Temporary Assistance (TCA) benefits for certain purchases deemed inappropriate.
The announcement, made from the facilities of Feeding Tampa Bay and detailed in an official statement from the Governor's Office, marks a new phase in Florida's policy to tighten the use of taxpayer-funded public assistance programs.
The amendment is in progress and must receive federal approval before its implementation.
What purchases will be banned?
Under the amended plan, EBT cards —the mechanism through which TCA benefits are distributed— cannot be used to purchase the following products and services:
- Tobacco, nicotine, and vaping products
- Drugs and intoxicants
- Pornography
- Video games, entertainment tickets, admission to theme parks, and entertainment subscriptions
- Tattoos, spa services, tanning, and other luxury services
- Services of clairvoyance and divination
DeSantis went straight to listing them during the press conference:
"No tobacco or vaping products with EBT cards and TANF subsidies. No drugs or intoxicants. No adult materials. No video games, entertainment tickets, or theme park subscriptions. No tattoos, no tanning beds, no psychic services."
What doesn't change for the beneficiary families?
The new restrictions will not reduce the monthly amount that eligible families receive, nor will they affect their eligibility for the program.
The average household receiving TCA in Florida receives approximately $250 per month, funds that will continue to be available to cover basic needs such as food, clothing, housing, and utilities.
The interim secretary of the Department of Children and Families (DCF), Kate Williams, was emphatic: “These changes will not affect a family's eligibility for temporary cash assistance, nor the amount they receive.”
And he clarified that the flexibility of the program remains for what is essential: "A caregiver can continue using assistance at a convenience store to purchase food. But taxpayer dollars should not be used to buy tobacco or vaping products."
DeSantis's argument: to combat fraud and promote self-sufficiency
DeSantis framed the measure around two objectives: to combat fraud and to steer assistance towards self-sufficiency rather than budget savings.
"The main reason for doing this is that it will make this matter more. It will make it more likely for people to stand up," he stated.
He also pointed out the abuse of the system: "Obviously, some of these cards are just fraud. They are milking the system. They are not really in need. They are scammers."
Her vision was summarized in one sentence: "The strength of our economy and our society is not measured by how many people we can put on EBT cards. It will be measured by how many people we can free from needing an EBT card."
How will the measure be implemented?
The amendment to the TANF State Plan is in process and will be sent to the Trump administration for federal approval before the new restrictions can be implemented. DeSantis anticipated that the process will be swift:
"We have worked with the people of the Trump administration. This is something they respond positively to."
Once the necessary approval is obtained, the implementation will take place in phases, starting with SNAP-authorized retailers.
Williams noted that the state has prior experience thanks to the Healthy SNAP program, launched in April, which already restricts the use of food stamps to purchase soda, energy drinks, and candy.
Context: a trend that is consolidating
This measure is part of a sustained pattern of restrictions under the DeSantis administration.
At the beginning of the year, Florida prohibited the purchase of certain foods with food stamps, and in March, the state Senate approved a law that tightens the verifications for applicants of public assistance.
Nationwide, the Trump administration promoted similar restrictions in 23 states, although in June a federal judge blocked those changes in five of them.
That decision did not affect Florida, partly because TANF gives states more flexibility than SNAP to establish their own rules.
"The public assistance must be intentional and temporary, and it should be connected to a path forward," summarized Adrienne Johnston, president of CareerSource Florida.
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