In order to help support victims of human trafficking as they reenter society State Representative LaVon Bracy Davis (D-Ocoee) filed HB 409 Temporary Cash Assistance Eligibility. Currently, there is a carveout in our state’s SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) eligibility so that individuals who have been convicted of drug trafficking may not receive benefits. Frequently, these individuals are women or mothers who have been unfairly coerced into committing these offenses and who need access to federal and state benefits. This bill creates an exception so that victims of human trafficking who may have these convictions may still be eligible for benefits.
HB 409 was heard in the Children, Families, and Seniors Subcommittee yesterday and passed unanimously as favorable. This is a huge success for victims of human trafficking who are trying to reenter society and get their lives back on track.
“This law will give Floridians, and mostly women and mothers, a fighting chance to turn their lives around, to provide for their families and to contribute to our society in meaningful ways,” said Representative Bracy Davis in committee yesterday. “This bill represents an opportunity for us to embody the principles of second chances and support for those that are in need.”
HB 409 will have its next committee stop in the Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee, and then the Health and Human Services Committee before it reaches the House floor.
