Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Clears First Hurdle in Pennsylvania

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Yahoo News

Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Clears First Hurdle in Pennsylvania
Jason Gallagher – 19 mins ago

Navigating the waters to receive public assistance in Pennsylvania could get a little rougher as the road to welfare reform in the state becomes a little clearer. The Pennsylvania House overwhelmingly approved legislation that would introduce drug testing in order to receive welfare benefits. The state House voted 164-23 in favor of the bill.

More specifically, the bill would require drug testing for welfare applicants on probation or parole for drug offenses or have a conviction for those offenses within the last five years. The bill also includes random drug testing for welfare recipients with drug offenses to be conducted every six months. Anyone who fails a first test would be permitted to receive benefits provided they agree to treatment; however, a second positive test would result in no assistance for a year.

In separate legislation, the state House also approved, 159-29, regulations that would require anyone transitioning off of public assistance to repay special funds if they do not stay employed for 18 months. Currently, additional funds are provided as grants for items such as uniforms, tools, or child care for those entering the workforce. Instead of being grants, the legislation would make those funds loans that would be forgiven at the end of 18 months of employment.

As both bills head to the state Senate, the supporters and opposition are gearing up for what could be an interesting showdown. Supporters believe having eligibility requirements for anyone receiving taxpayer money is fair, while opposition members claim the bills will harm children in the environments. Also, opponents are worried that fear of a false positive would prevent eligible residents from applying for welfare. Others question if the state has the right to conduct what amounts to a search without proper suspicion.



Read more: http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110803/us_ac/8383585_drug_testing_for_welfare_recipients_clears_first_hurdle_in_pennsylvania

[uppityperson]

1. k&r so others may notice. I am against drug testing like this.

[msongs]

2. paragraph three is the killer - poor people lose their jobs and they pay back. how debt ceiling nt

[Johnyawl]

3. If the government has the right to require drug testing as a condition of employment...

...why wouldn't they have the right to require drug testing as a condition of recieving public monies?

[Newest Reality]

6. Does that mean you

have accepted drug testing as valid and non-invasive? Are there no rights issues just because it is now a common practice?

[hedgehog]

8. Presumably, you drug test an employee to guarantee you're getting

your money's worth. It's silly to drug test a welfare recipient. We're paying a welfare recipient the minimum amount necessary to keep that person (somewhat) fed, clothed and sheltered so we don't have dead bodies cluttering up our streets. If we take away the payments because of a failed drug test, we now have a drug user without any means of obtaining money to purchase drugs except resorting to some sort of crime. After all, who is going to hire someone kicked off welfare for drug use?

[Unvanguard]

12. Drug tests to make sure you are fit for the job are one thing.

Drug tests that interfere with people who need help getting it are quite another.

[ChrisBorg]

24. They get benefits and treatment after the first fail.

Anyone who fails a first test would be permitted to receive benefits provided they agree to treatment

[RobinA]

32. LMAO

Where's all this "treatment" coming from?

[ChrisBorg]

33. From the Bill....

10
"Drug treatment program" means a public, nonprofit or other

11
nonpublic program for the assessment, treatment and

12
rehabilitation of persons who use illegal drugs which shall not

13
exceed thirty days for purposes of this section.

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2011&sessInd=0&billBody=S&billTyp=B&billNbr=0719&pn=0703

[RobinA]

42. My Point Remains....

Where's the treatment coming from? The system can't handle the people they've got who want treatment now. I'm seeing some BS slapped together program that proports to be "treatment" but is anything but. If that. More lip service, signifying nothing.

[alp227]

21. the funny thing about that argument is that it somehow implies the arguer wants to do drugs

in other words "why do I need to be drug tested for work but not to be on welfare" = "I'll be a welfare bum just to skip the pee test." And I totally agree with reply #8. If welfare required drug testing, be prepared for more muggings and robberies, and get a gun!

[KamaAina]

27. Because it isn't a job?

How would you like to pee in a cup to get your tax refund? :eyes:

[boppers]

36. Welfare, living on other people's money, is the same as getting money back that you paid in?

Yes, it's *not* a job.

Which is part of the problem.

[RobinA]

31. I Don't Agree

that government has a right to require drug testing as a condition of employment.

Plus, as someone who works with this system in PA, executing these laws, should they become that, is going to be a laughable.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. What's next? Drug testing for unemployment benefits? Food stamps?

[TheMadMonk]

14. On the cards if not the books for a lot of places.

What better way to get folk into permanent indentured servitude?

Amerika. Built for slavers on the backs of slaves. And in 200 plus years not a fucking thing has changed.

Sorry, but it really is a case of a nation built by, for and on hatred.


From the very beginning, the nation has been founded on the notion that the "other guy" is out to "get you", and so the only viable option is to "get him" first.

[indurancevile]

22. yes.

[OhioChick]

5. Then make drug testing mandatory for all politicians n/t

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. And sobriety testing.

$224k for drinking on the job?

[OhioChick]

13. No shit.....guess we're both in the wrong fields n/t

[Ruby the Liberal]

15. There is that, but you couldn't pay me to hang the american public out to dry.

Karma? Where are you Karma? We need you sister!

[OhioChick]

30. I agree 100% n/t

[Mnemosyne]

7. I hate this state more each time I read such horseshit. Hope to move before end of year. n/t

[Dawson Leery]

20. Where do you plan on going?

My understanding is that southeast PA is "normal".

[Mnemosyne]

34. I've been researching for over a year now. I have several possibilities, but need to stay near my

daughter and grandsons with the current economic situation in the country.

NY seems to be moving toward medical marijuana and seems the most likely area right now.

If not for my grandsons and daughter, Iceland was looking pretty good, as well as Costa Rica.

The country seems to be getting more frightening lately and it could happen here...

[nineteen50]

9. Test everyone

 Test everyone that receives taxpayers money including
bailouts and subsidies and paid political office.

[ThoughtCriminal]

11. +1

If you could get it on the ballot, I think it would easily pass. Probably a quick way to end the drug war.

[LarryNM]

16. Only a Matter of Time Before Drug Testing for Social Security and Medicare

Once the anti-labor drug testing was allowed for all employment it took root and has spread. Of course, no mandatory drug testing for the CEOs, Wall Street Bankers, Congress or even "owners" of business. Since the 1980s what a sad, sick, little nation the u.s. has become.

[Mimosa]

17. I imagine testing for smoking and alcohol is included?

I'll support this when state reps and congress reps are treated the SAME WAY!

This isn't at all the country where I was born, where they bragged about freedom. This is like that Terry Gilliam movie "BRAZIL".

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088846/


(If you've never seen it you should.)

[roomfullofmirrors]

38. I was tested for smoking and drinking yesterday too btw.

[killbotfactory]

18. Drunks are okay, though.

So, there's that.

[fishwax]

19. ugh n/t

[saras]

23. You mean they'll tell me if my MDMA is the real thing or not?

That's the only kind of drug testing America needs.

But arguing about illegal drugs at this point in time is like arguing about the addictiveness of morphine during the middle of the Civil War.

Oh, and it looks like you can get someone kicked off welfare pretty easily, by messing with their drug tests. Getting someone to eat enough to trigger the test is easy without them either tasting it or noticing a drug effect. Cool.

[FormerOstrich]

25. good grief

cut spending...cut spending....(says the shrill voices in the background)

implement programs requiring new bureaucracy for testing and enforcement.

Contempt for members in the caste system.

[devilgrrl]

26. Who's paying for the tests? Who's profiting?

eom

[woo me with science]

28. Good question.

Follow the money.

[No Elephants]

29. We're probably paying and Big Health Care will profit. Guess the health reform bill bailout was

not enough.

[boppers]

39. Not sure about this one, but last one I saw had the state paying for the tests.

After number crunching, the tests "saved" a lot of money, as compared to money "saved" by not giving out welfare money, but the hilarious part was that testing *everyone* cost more than would be saved... IIRC, the number who would test positive on a national level was in the 10% range.

[alarimer]

35. Drug testing for GOP politicians

Because they are either crazy or on something.

This country officially sucks.

[roomfullofmirrors]

37. Just took a piss test yesterday. Got the job. good times ahead.

you don't want to lose your welfare, don't do drugs. Too fucking easy.

[BNJMN]

40. 'Healthy eating is privilege of the rich.' Also, getting high w/out fear of arrest. [nt]

[Rex]

41. Make them start from the top.