Author: Nick Sibilla

Many States Still Deny SNAP and TANF Benefits to People with a Drug Felony, According to a New Report

        FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 6, 2023 Media Contact: Nick Sibilla nick@ccresourcecenter.org David Hebert dhebert@arnoldventures.org Many States Still Deny SNAP and TANF Benefits to People with a Drug Felony, According to a New Report Washington, D.C. — Almost half the states still exclude thousands of Americans with a drug felony in their past from receiving essential public benefits, according to a new nationwide study released today by the Collateral Consequences Resource Center (CCRC) with support from Arnold Ventures. A provision in President Bill Clinton’s 1996 welfare reform law imposed a lifetime ban on eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) for anyone convicted of a drug felony. However, the federal law permitted states to opt out of one or both bans or to modify them with their own conditions. CCRC’s report, “Accessing SNAP and TANF Benefits after a Drug Conviction: A Survey of State Laws,” offers a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of the differing ways states have responded to this federal ban, including relevant sections of statutory text to facilitate analysis and comparison. Today, 25 states, plus the District of Columbia, have opted out of both […]

Read more