Drug Testing for Assistance bill scheduled for Feb. 15

During the first half of the session, ICHS testified against HB1007, a bill that would require drug testing for public assistance, a bill that passed the House 73-23 with an amendment with provisions for legislator drug testing. HB1007 is scheduled for a hearing on Wed., 2/15, in Senate Health Providers. See ICHS_Concerns-HB1007DrugTestingTANF_2-9-12.  

ICHS has expressed multiple concerns about the bill as introduced, including:

• costs exceed “savings” by nearly $807,000
• unnecessary new barriers to assistance;
• reimbursement and payment for testing costs not spelled out;
• TANF children not sufficiently concidered;
• need for treatment and assistance for drug users; and
• 4th Amendment issues.