Nebraska Governor Signs Executive Order Restricting TANF Cash Spending on Tobacco, Gambling, Games
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen signed an executive order on Friday, October 9, restricting Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash benefits from being spent on nonessential purchases such as tobacco, gambling, and video games, KOLN and WOWT reported. The order directs the state Department of Health and Human Services to tighten rules on how cash assistance can be used.
TANF provides monthly cash aid to low-income families with children. Under the executive order, the state will move to block benefit cards from being used at liquor stores, casinos, and other venues selling prohibited items, and to add new purchase restrictions aligned with federal guidance.
Pillen said the order is about stewardship of taxpayer dollars and ensuring assistance goes to children's basic needs — food, housing, and clothing. Supporters in the legislature praised the move as common-sense accountability.
Critics, including anti-poverty advocates, argued the restrictions add bureaucracy without evidence of widespread misuse and could stigmatize struggling families. They noted that federal law already bars TANF cash from being used for liquor, gambling, and adult entertainment.
(Sources: KOLN, WOWT)
Source: KOLN、WOWT
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
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