Louisiana Lifts 12-Month Wait For Drug Felons To Receive Public Assistance When They Leave Prison
On June 15, 2017, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed legislation to allow felons convicted of drug charges to receive public assistance benefits immediately after release from prison. Currently, drug felons must wait for 12 months before becoming eligible to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Medicaid, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. The law goes into effect on October 1, 2017.
The legislation, House Bill 681, eliminates the previous policy that banned people convicted of drug felony offenses, but not those convicted of other felonies, from receiving any public benefits for a year after being released. Advocates for . . .