Governor Ron DeSantis announces first-in-the-nation restrictions on Temporary Cash Assistance purchases of luxury and non-essential goods
Tampa, Florida – Florida is moving to place new restrictions on how Temporary Cash Assistance benefits can be spent, with Gov. Ron DeSantis announcing a policy he says will make the state the first in the nation to establish these types of limits under its Temporary Assistance for Needy Families plan.
The announcement was made in Tampa as Florida amended its TANF State Plan to prevent Temporary Cash Assistance benefits from being used directly to purchase certain items and services described by the state as inappropriate, luxury or non-essential.
The changes are aimed at tightening the rules around taxpayer-funded assistance while maintaining the program’s primary purpose of helping families meet basic needs.
“Florida has become the first in the nation to set guardrails on our TANF State Plan to stop these taxpayer-funded benefits from being used to purchase inappropriate, luxury, and non-essential goods and services. 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,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “We will continue supporting Floridians who genuinely need assistance, while working to improve accountability and transparency so that these programs operate as intended.”
Under the amended plan, Temporary Cash Assistance benefits will no longer be allowed to directly purchase several categories of goods and services. The restrictions include tobacco, nicotine and vaping products, as well as drugs and intoxicants.
The new rules also cover pornography, video games, entertainment tickets, theme park admission and entertainment subscriptions. Certain personal and luxury services, including tattoos, spa services and tanning, will also be prohibited.
Psychic and fortune-telling services are included among the newly restricted purchases.
Temporary Cash Assistance is delivered through an Electronic Benefit Transfer card and is intended to provide eligible families with help covering ongoing needs. Those needs can include food, clothing, housing, utilities, household goods and personal care.
The average household receiving TCA benefits gets approximately $250 per month, according to the state. Florida also uses TANF funding for the Relative Caregiver Program, which provides assistance to relatives caring for more than 4,000 children across the state.
State officials say the new restrictions are intended to add safeguards without eliminating the flexibility that is central to the cash assistance program.
“Temporary Cash Assistance is designed to provide families with flexibility during times of need, and these commonsense changes preserve that flexibility while strengthening the integrity of the program,” said DCF Interim Secretary Kate Williams. “Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida continues to ensure government assistance serves as a bridge to greater stability and independence while safeguarding taxpayer resources.”
Florida already has restrictions on certain EBT transactions. Existing rules prohibit EBT card use or acceptance for alcohol purchases and transactions at adult entertainment establishments, pari-mutuel wagering facilities, slot machine facilities, commercial bingo establishments and casinos or gaming facilities.
The state’s EBT vendor blocks point-of-sale transactions at prohibited businesses and also prevents ATM transactions at restricted locations. The newly announced policy expands those controls to cover additional products and services.
The changes are also being connected to Florida’s broader effort to promote economic self-sufficiency. CareerSource Florida officials say assistance programs can work alongside employment and workforce initiatives to help people develop skills and move toward greater financial independence.
“Florida’s commitment to helping families move toward economic self-sufficiency includes connecting Floridians with meaningful pathways to employment and career advancement,” said CareerSource Florida President and CEO Adrienne Johnston. “Through Florida’s workforce system, individuals can access the training, credentials, apprenticeships, work-based learning, and employer connections needed to build skills and increase their earning potential. These efforts help ensure temporary assistance serves as a bridge to greater stability, independence, and opportunity for Florida families.”
The new TCA restrictions also follow changes already made to Florida’s food assistance program. Since April 2026, SNAP benefits in Florida cannot be used to purchase soda, energy drinks, candy or ultra-processed prepared desserts under the state’s Healthy SNAP initiative.
Officials said the latest restrictions will not be introduced all at once. Instead, they will be implemented in phases.
The first phase will begin with SNAP-authorized retailers, with the state then expanding transaction-level controls to cover additional prohibited products and services. The phased approach is intended to allow the restrictions to be put into operation across participating retailers and transaction systems.
The state says the policy is intended to preserve assistance for necessities while preventing benefits from being used on purchases that fall outside the program’s intended purpose.
For families receiving TCA, the program remains focused on helping with basic expenses and providing support during periods of financial hardship. The state says the new rules are designed to strengthen oversight rather than reduce assistance to families who qualify for it.
The policy also reflects Florida’s broader approach to public assistance programs, combining restrictions on certain purchases with workforce programs intended to help recipients move toward employment, higher earnings and greater independence.
As the new controls are phased in, Florida will continue implementing the amended TANF State Plan and expanding the transaction restrictions to additional prohibited goods and services.
More information about Temporary Cash Assistance and the Healthy SNAP Florida initiative is available through the Florida Department of Children and Families.
