As of July 1, 2024, Florida has introduced tougher requirements for its food stamp program. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps low-income individuals and households buy nutritious food.
Last year, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 raised the work requirement age for able-bodied adults without dependents from 49 to 52, with another increase to 54 coming in October.
Exemptions are in place for pregnant people, homeless individuals, veterans, people with physical or mental limitations, and those aged 24 or younger who were in foster care on their 18th birthday.
In November, the Florida Department of Children and Families extended SNAP requirements to adults up to 59 years old and increased the mandatory employment and training program (SNAP E&T) from 80 to 120 hours per month. A recent bill has made these changes official state law, with non-compliance potentially resulting in sanctions and loss of benefits.
New Law and Criticism
Rep. Adam Anderson, R-Palm Harbor, stated, “The bill replaces hand-outs with hand-ups.” Critics, however, argue that these changes could negatively impact older residents. The Florida Policy Institute noted that many older Floridians are food insecure and may face significant hardship due to the new requirements.
These changes follow the reduction of SNAP benefits for 2.8 million Floridians after the end of COVID-related emergency allotments.
Additionally, the state opted out of the federal Summer EBT program, which could have provided $120 for groceries over the summer to each eligible child. This decision affected about 2.1 million low-income children, who missed out on over $250 million in federal aid.
Addressing the ‘Benefit Cliff’
The new law, HB 1267, addresses the “benefit cliff,” where beneficiaries earn too much to qualify for SNAP but not enough to cover their expenses. This discourages individuals from advancing in their careers.
The law introduces a case management and education system to help families transition to self-sufficiency and requires a financial forecasting tool to show the future financial impacts of changes in income and benefits. It also mandates exit surveys, with results reported annually to the Florida Legislature.
“We want smooth transitions for those moving from public assistance to financial independence,” Anderson said. “No family should choose between a pay increase and receiving benefits.”
The bill also includes a program to provide financial assistance to families who no longer qualify for school readiness program funding.
What is SNAP?
SNAP is a federal program that assists low- and no-income individuals in buying food. It originated from the national food stamp program and was renamed in the 2008 farm bill. The U.S. Department of Agriculture administers SNAP, while the Florida Department of Children and Families manages it locally.
SNAP Benefits and Eligibility
SNAP benefits can be used to buy various food items, including breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, poultry, dairy, and seeds/plants to grow food. Benefits cannot be used for nonfood items, alcohol, tobacco, vitamins, medicines, or hot foods.
Eligibility for SNAP in Florida is based on income, resources, and household size. Applicants must be Florida residents, U.S. citizens or qualified noncitizens, and have a Social Security number.
Healthy adults aged 18 to 50 without dependent children or pregnancy may receive benefits for 3 months in a 3-year period if not working or participating in a work training program.
Most households must meet a gross income limit equal to or less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), with some expenses subtracted from total monthly income. Households must report changes when total monthly gross income exceeds 130% of the FPL or when work hours fall below 80 hours per month.
SNAP E&T Program
The SNAP E&T program helps able-bodied adults without dependents gain education and skills for employment while meeting work requirements.
As of July 1, adults aged 18 to 59 without children under 18 and not qualifying for exemptions must participate in the employment and training program for 40 hours per week.
Those without a high school diploma or equivalent may choose to spend 20 hours a week in adult general education or high school equivalency preparation to meet the work activity requirement.
Ineligibility for SNAP
Reasons for ineligibility include drug trafficking convictions, fleeing a felony warrant, breaking SNAP program rules, noncitizen status without qualifications, and certain students attending higher education institutions.
These changes aim to encourage self-sufficiency while addressing the challenges faced by Florida’s low-income residents.