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SB0385 • 2026

Human Services, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, relative to public assistance.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Taylor
Last action
2025-02-10
Official status
Withdrawn.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was withdrawn, so it is not currently active and its provisions have not been implemented.

Changes to Food Assistance Rules

This bill requires monthly checks of electronic benefit card data for out-of-state purchases and sets strict residency proof requirements for food assistance recipients.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the department to check monthly if anyone using an electronic benefit card has made purchases exclusively outside Tennessee for more than 90 consecutive days.
  • Sends written notice to these people asking them to prove they live in Tennessee or lose their benefits within 30 days of receiving the notice.
  • Removes someone from food assistance if they do not respond within 30 days or cannot show proof of residency in Tennessee.
  • Doesn't allow exceptions for homeless individuals unless the department can verify that they have resided in a public shelter for at least 30 days or are on a waiting list to be admitted to an available shelter.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who use electronic benefit cards and have made purchases out of state for more than 90 consecutive days.
  • Homeless individuals seeking an exception to work requirements.

Terms To Know

Electronic benefit card
A special card used by people receiving government assistance, like food stamps, to buy groceries and other necessities.
Public shelter
A place provided by the government where homeless individuals can stay temporarily.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill was withdrawn on February 10, 2025, so it is not currently active.
  • It's unclear how many people will be affected by these changes.

Bill History

  1. Date Tennessee General Assembly

  2. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Withdrawn.

  3. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  4. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 385
By Taylor

SB0385
002179
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71,
relative to public assistance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 71-5-314, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
(k) No less than once per month, the department shall utilize electronic benefit
card data to identify any recipients who have used food assistance benefits to make
purchases exclusively outside of this state for a period of ninety (90) consecutive days or
more. Within thirty (30) days of identification, the department shall send written notice to
each recipient so identified and request that the recipient provide proof of residency in
this state in order to continue to receive food assistance. If, within thirty (30) days of the
date of receipt of notice from the department, a recipient is unable to provide proof of
residency in this state or fails to respond to such notice, then the department shall
remove the recipient from enrollment in the food stamp program. Within fifteen (15)
days of removing a recipient from enrollment in the food stamp program pursuant to this
subsection (k), the department shall send notification of and reasons for a recipient's
removal to the United States attorney for the federal district where the former recipient is
believed to reside.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 71-5-317, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
(c) The department shall not provide an exception under 7 U.S.C. §
2015(o)(3)(F) from work requirements unless the department has determined that the
individual is a homeless individual. For purposes of this subsection (c), an individual

- 2 - 002179

must not be considered a homeless individual unless the department is able to verify
that:
(1) The individual has resided in a public shelter for a period of at least
thirty (30) days, based upon notarized documentation from the public shelter of
such fact; or
(2) A public shelter is not available and notarized documentation from the
applicable public housing authority attests that such individual is on a waiting list
to be admitted to an available shelter.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.