Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Monday in Tampa that Florida is the first state in the nation to amend its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) State Plan to prohibit benefits from being used on luxury and non-essential items
The announcement expands restrictions on how recipients can use their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards — the mechanism through which TANF’s Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) program delivers taxpayer-funded benefits to eligible families.
“The primary reason to do this … it’s gonna make this matter more,” DeSantis said. “It’s gonna make it more likely that folks are able to get on their feet.”
Under current federal and state law, EBT cards cannot be used to purchase alcohol, gamble or spend money at adult entertainment establishments. Florida’s updated plan goes further.
DeSantis directed the Florida Department of Children and Families to amend the state’s TANF State Plan to also prohibit benefits from being used on:
- Tobacco and vaping products
- Drugs or intoxicants
- Adult content
- Video games
- Entertainment tickets, theme park tickets
- Tattoos
- Tanning services
- Fortune-telling or psychic services
DeSantis said the restrictions are designed to channel assistance toward essentials — and away from purchases he described as wasteful or fraudulent.
“Obviously, some of these cards are just — people don’t need it and it’s fraud,” he said. “They’re milking the system. They’re not really needy. They’re scam artists.”
Florida Interim Secretary for the Department of Children and Families Kate Williams said the state plan amendment is already underway and that the department will work with federal partners, retailers and EBT partners to put the new restrictions into operation.
“These changes will not affect a family’s eligibility for temporary cash assistance, nor will it impact the amount that they receive,” Williams said.
Williams noted the department has experience implementing similar restrictions. In April, Florida launched Healthy SNAP, which restricted SNAP benefits from being used to purchase soda, candy, energy drinks and ultra-processed prepared desserts.
“Retailers updated their point-of-sale and online purchasing systems so that restricted products could be easily identified and automatically blocked during SNAP transactions,” Williams said, adding that same framework will help inform TCA implementation.
Williams said families will continue to use benefits for everyday necessities, including fresh produce at farmers markets or grocery stores, medicine at pharmacies, clothing and other essential items for their children.
“A caregiver can still use temporary cash assistance at a convenience store to purchase food or other essential item,” she said. “But taxpayer dollars should not be used to purchase tobacco or vaping products.”
On timeline, Williams said specifics are still being worked out with federal partners.
“More to come, but we’ll make sure that that’s closely communicated with retailers and recipients as well,” she said.
Careertions are about more than limiting spending — they’re about connecting families to a broader path toward employment and self-sufficiency
“Public assistance should be intentional and temporary, and it should be connected to a pathway forward,” Johnston said.
Career network of 21 local workforce development boards. Johnston said the organization is a direct partner in helping TCA recipients move toward independence
“Last year, more than 67,000 job seekers who are served through the Career,000 individuals served by our network are no longer dependent on public assistance,” Johnston said
She added those transitions resulted in an average annual wage increase of $15,500.
“Every step moves a family closer to self-sufficiency, and every step strengthens Florida’s workforce,” Johnston said.
The state plan amendment will be submitted to the Trump administration for approval. DeSantis said he anticipates a swift and positive response, noting Florida has coordinated closely with federal partners throughout the process.
“We’ve worked — I know the DCF has worked with the folks in the Trump administration,” DeSantis said. “This is something that they welcome.”
DeSantis also pointed to the state’s Care Portal, which connects Floridians in need with churches, charities and businesses that can offer support beyond government assistance.
“The strength of our economy and our society is not how many people we can get EBT cards to,” he said. “It’s going to be how many people can we liberate from needing an EBT card in the first place.”
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