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Kansas moving to tighten rules for cash, food assistance

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Critics of tighter rules for social services in Kansas focus on how they expect those policies to make daily life difficult for needy families.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and his allies emphasize their goal of moving people from state assistance into jobs.

Legislators have approved a bill putting policies imposed by Brownback’s administration into state law, so they’ll be harder to undo. Those policies require able-bodied adults receiving temporary cash assistance to work or be looking for jobs.

Lawmakers added rules, too. One bans using cash assistance for entertainment, cruises, spa trips, tattoos, body piercings and consultations with psychics.

Another would limit ATM withdrawals with assistance cards to $25 a day.

The House passed the bill on an 87-35 vote Thursday, a day after the Senate approved it, 30-10.

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