House Bill 682, titled the Public Safety Through Food Access Act, would broaden North Carolina’s existing exemption from federal welfare restrictions for people with felony drug convictions. Under current law, certain individuals convicted of Class H or I controlled substance felonies may regain eligibility for Work First and food and nutrition services after meeting specified conditions. This bill rewrites that section to allow an otherwise eligible person to be denied benefits only under the federal prohibition, and then to be exempt from that prohibition if they satisfy the bill’s timing and treatment requirements.
The bill would allow eligibility for Work First Program assistance and food and nutrition services for people convicted of drug-related felonies after either six months from release from custody, or six months from conviction if not incarcerated, so long as no additional controlled substance felony is committed during that period and the person has completed or is actively participating in an approved substance abuse treatment program. It also clarifies that county departments of social services may require substance abuse treatment as a condition of receiving benefits, if funding and programs are available and to the extent permitted by federal law. The act would take effect July 1, 2025.
HB682 would amend G.S. 108A-25.2, changing how North Carolina applies federal welfare restrictions to individuals with drug-related felony convictions. The bill would expand access to Work First cash assistance and food and nutrition services by allowing the state to fully opt out of the federal ban for eligible individuals who meet treatment and waiting-period conditions. It would affect county departments of social services, recipients of public assistance, and people with controlled substance felony records, while preserving a role for substance abuse treatment requirements and federal-law limits.
The bill’s stated purpose and title suggest a generally supportive, rehabilitation-oriented approach focused on public safety, food access, and helping people with felony convictions reenter society successfully. Because there were no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no documented floor or committee debate to indicate broader legislative support or opposition. On its face, the bill appears framed as a policy measure to reduce barriers to basic assistance while tying eligibility to treatment participation and a period without reoffending.
The main points of contention likely concern whether public benefits should be available to people with felony drug convictions and whether the state should loosen or fully opt out of federal restrictions. Supporters would likely emphasize reentry, recovery, and food security, while critics may focus on accountability, program integrity, and the use of public funds for individuals with criminal records. Another possible issue is the bill’s reliance on available treatment programs and federal-law compliance, which could create implementation questions for county social services agencies.