Politics & Government

Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Passes State Senate

The bill moves on to the state House of Representatives for approval.

State welfare recipients are one step closer to having to undergo drug testing before they receive state money, since the Georgia Senate passed the Social Responsibility and Accountability Act on Wednesday. However, the bill still needs to go to the state House of Representatives for approval before it becomes law.

Sponsored by Sen. John Albers (R-Roswell), the legislation requires recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) .

“True compassion is doing what’s best for people, not what’s easiest,” said Albers. “This is the ideology behind why the bill is named the Social Responsibility and Accountability Act. With the passage of SB 292 today, we will help ensure the proper allocation of taxpayer-funded TANF benefits and prevent these funds from being diverted to illicit drug use.”

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Under this legislation, the drug testing requirement is modeled after the tests required by the Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs or other professionally valid procedures. If enacted into law, this test would require a swab test in lieu of urinalysis.

If Georgia requires drug tests for welfare recipients, should the state also require the same drug test for elected officials before they receive government checks? Tell us in the comments.

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