Welcome to the Wednesday, June 25, Brew.
By: Briana Ryan
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- A look at work requirements for public assistance in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
- Florida voters to decide on changes to the budget stabilization fund in November 2026
- Republican Party committees lead in cumulative fundraising as of May 31
A look at work requirements for public assistance in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Regular Daily Brew readers will know we have followed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act from the beginning. Today, we’ll look at one aspect in the U.S. House of Representatives version of the bill—work requirements for public assistance. We’ll also tell you about our new resource to help guide you through the bill’s provisions, policy debates, and work requirement policies across all 50 states.
Work requirements for public assistance include job searching, engaging in job training, volunteering, or pursuing education.
Supporters of work requirements say that ensuring resources are given to individuals needing assistance rather than to able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWD) can help reduce waste in these programs. Additionally, they say work requirements would increase the size of the labor force.
Opponents of work requirements say that increasing the time and resources that state agencies and program recipients need to follow reporting requirements can cause administrative burdens. They also say work requirements could create barriers preventing individuals from enrolling in assistance programs, which could hurt the economy.
The bill seeks to change two areas of public assistance: Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
- Medicaid is a program that provides medical insurance to groups of low-income people and individuals with disabilities.
- SNAP is a program that provides food-purchasing assistance to groups of low-income people.
Both programs involve the division of responsibilities between the federal and state governments. The federal government sets eligibility criteria, provides guidelines, and allocates funding for these programs. Meanwhile, states are responsible for administering them and, in some cases, have the authority to tailor the programs to meet local needs.
A key Medicaid provision is that certain individuals would need to demonstrate at least 80 hours per month of community engagement to qualify for the program, which can include:
- Work
- Community service
- Participation in a work program
- Half-time enrollment in an educational program
- A combination of the above activities
- Monthly income is at least 80 times the federal hourly minimum wage
The key SNAP provision is that the age range for work requirements would increase from 17-60 to 17-65. The bill would also make multiple changes to the exceptions regarding ABAWD work requirements, ABAWD waivers, and state discretion.
With these provisions currently under consideration, we’re debuting a new hub page focusing on work requirements for public assistance. On this page, you’ll find an overview of federal work requirements across assistance programs as well as resources such as:
- State-by-state policy comparisons, including legislative actions and waivers
- Summaries of key arguments for and against work requirements
- Legal and economic context, including court rulings and policy research
- Tracking of reform proposals and implementation updates
Click here to read more about work requirements for public assistance outlined in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Also, click here to check out our portal on work requirements for public assistance.
Florida voters to decide on changes to the budget stabilization fund in November 2026
On Nov. 3, 2026, Florida voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that would make multiple changes to the state’s budget stabilization fund (BSF).
The amendment would increase the maximum amount that can be retained in the BSF from 10% to 25% of net general revenue. It would also require an annual transfer to the fund of $750 million or 25% of general revenue collections, whichever is less. For fiscal year 2024-2025, the amount in the BSF was 9.3% of the state’s revenue.
The amendment would allow the Florida Legislature to suspend the transfer if the fund is used to cover revenue shortfalls or emergency spending or the Legislature determines and passes a bill by a two-thirds vote that a critical need supersedes the transfer to the fund.
Florida has a Republican trifecta, meaning that Republicans control the governorship and both legislative chambers. On June 16, the Florida House of Representatives passed House Joint Resolution 5019 (HJR 5019)—the bill to put the measure on the ballot—100-1. The Florida Senate approved the bill 29-4.
The state last tapped the fund during the 2008 financial crisis. State House Speaker Daniel Perez (R), who supports the amendment, said, “None of us know what the future holds. I think this is just a preparation of being prepared for the unexpected, and none of us know what the unexpected is, but we have a sample to look at in the 2000s when we had a recession. The state of Florida was not prepared for that recession.”
The Florida AFL-CIO’s politics and policy director, Rich Templin, said, “When we consider this joint resolution in the midst of this budgeting process that we are in, it seems that what we value is putting money into an account that may or may never be used as opposed to funding kids having access to healthcare, or education, or teacher salaries.”
Voters created the BSF in 1992 when they approved Amendment 4, 83% to 17%. The Taxation and Budget Reform Commission—a constitutionally mandated commission that convenes every 20 years—proposed the amendment.
The last time voters decided on an amendment to the section authorizing the BSF was 2006, when they approved Amendment 1, 60% to 40%. That amendment removed language adopted in 1992 authorizing a gradual increase in the revenue the fund retained from 1% to 5% over five fiscal years beginning in 1994.
In addition to the 2026 BSF amendment, voters will decide on another amendment that would exempt agricultural-related tangible personal property, such as farm equipment or tools, from property taxes. For a constitutional amendment to win in Florida, it must win a supermajority vote of 60% of those voting on the question.
Click here for more information about the 2026 amendment concerning the BSF.
Republican Party committees lead in cumulative fundraising as of May 31
As of May 31—the end of the most recent party committee campaign finance filing period—the three committees associated with the Republican Party have raised $172 million and spent $121 million. Meanwhile, the three committees associated with the Democratic Party have raised a cumulative $146 million and spent $145 million in the 2026 election cycle.
The three Democratic committees are the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). The three Republican committees are the Republican National Committee (RNC), the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).
The DCCC leads the NRCC in cumulative receipts, disbursements, and cash on hand. The RNC leads the DNC in cash on hand and receipts, while the DNC leads in disbursements. The NRSC leads the DSCC in receipts and disbursements, while the DSCC leads in cash on hand.
The cumulative fundraising for the three Democratic committees as of last month ($146 million) is lower than their May 2021 fundraising total ($169 million) and higher than their May 2023 fundraising total ($127 million). On the Republican side, the three committees have raised $172 million as of last month, which is higher than their May 2021 fundraising total ($169 million) and their May 2023 fundraising total ($107 million).
Click here for more information on Democratic and Republican committees’ fundraising from the 2026 election cycle.