Florida has become the first state to implement broad restrictions on how welfare cash assistance can be spent, preventing recipients from using funds on items such as tattoos, theme park tickets, video games, and vaping products. These changes, part of the state's Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) program, aim to ensure benefits are used for basic needs.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families (ACF) approved Florida's updated plan, deeming the restrictions "common-sense." This federal endorsement signals a potential model for other states looking to regulate welfare spending.
Florida's TCA program is funded by the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. While distinct from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), families may receive both benefits through separate balances on the same Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. Previous Florida regulations already prohibited EBT card use for alcohol and at adult-entertainment establishments, casinos, and bingo halls. The new policy expands these restrictions to item-level limits at eligible retailers.
"Taxpayer-funded assistance should help families put food on the table, keep the lights on, purchase clothing, provide for their children and overcome barriers on the path toward independence," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated. "We will continue supporting Floridians who genuinely need assistance, while working to improve accountability and transparency so that these programs operate as intended."
Items now prohibited under the TCA program include tattoos and other body piercings, entertainment services and products like theme park admission and video games, vaping and other nicotine products, and pornography. The governor's office also cited "psychic and fortune-telling services" as prohibited purchases. Similar restrictions were previously applied to Florida's Healthy SNAP initiative, which barred food benefits from being used on soda, energy drinks, candy, and ultra-processed desserts.
ACF Assistant Secretary Alex J. Adams emphasized that TANF is intended as temporary support for families, not unrestricted spending money. "When people come to us for those basic needs, we will give them short-term assistance for those needs, but not for superfluous purchases," Adams said. He clarified that these policy changes do not reduce the benefit amounts for recipients.
Under the new plan, recipients will be able to withdraw TCA cash only at retailers and financial institutions authorized to accept EBT cards for SNAP transactions. The phased implementation will involve coordination with EBT vendors and retailers.
The ACF views Florida's approach as a "best practice" and hopes other states will adopt similar measures. Currently, 27 states do not have EBT location restrictions beyond federal requirements, and most do not impose item-level limits on TANF purchases.