Florida SB 1462: Education

Bill Text

1462 
Temporary Cash Assistance Eligibility 
2026-02-04T04:31:06Z 
Providing that benefits may not be denied to certain persons solely on the basis of a drug trafficking conviction under certain circumstances, etc. 
Committee Substitute 1 
2026 
S 
2026-07-01T00:00:00Z 
GB 
General Bill 
c1 

 Florida Senate - 2026 CS for SB 1462 

 By the Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs; and 
 Senator Bracy Davis 

 586-02454A-26 20261462c1 
 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 persons solely 
 5 on the basis of a drug trafficking conviction under 
 6 certain circumstances; providing an 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 is 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 listed in this chapter. The 
 23 department shall monitor continued eligibility for temporary 
 24 cash assistance through periodic reviews consistent with the 
 25 food assistance eligibility process. Benefits may not be denied 
 26 to an individual solely based on a felony drug conviction, 
 27 unless the conviction is for trafficking pursuant to s. 893.135. 
 28 An individual may not be denied benefits solely on the basis of 
 29 a drug trafficking conviction pursuant to s. 893.135 if the 
 30 conviction was obtained during a period of time in which the 
 31 department has determined the individual was an active victim of 
 32 human trafficking, as defined in s. 943.0583(1). To be eligible 
 33 under this section, an individual convicted of a drug felony 
 34 must be satisfactorily meeting the requirements of the temporary 
 35 cash assistance program, including all substance abuse treatment 
 36 requirements. Within the limits specified in this chapter, the 
 37 state opts out of the provision of Pub. L. No. 104-193, s. 115, 
 38 that eliminates eligibility for temporary cash assistance and 
 39 food assistance for any individual convicted of a controlled 
 40 substance felony. 
 41 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.