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Lawmaker seeks drug testing of welfare recipients


LA State Wire

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A Jefferson Parish lawmaker is hoping he can persuade the Legislature on his fifth try to mandate drug testing of welfare recipients in Louisiana.

Republican Rep. John LaBruzzo's bill is scheduled for a Wednesday hearing in the House Health and Welfare Committee. Though he's gotten it out of committee before, LaBruzzo has repeatedly failed to get the measure passed through the full Legislature.

The proposal would require at least 20 percent of people who receive benefits to submit to drug testing.

LaBruzzo says the bill could help families get addiction treatment and make sure tax dollars aren't spent on drug habits. Opponents say the bill unfairly targets poor mothers, without evidence demonstrating they are more prone to drug problems.


States eye drug tests for welfare recipients

MIAMI (AP) — Lawmakers in more than two-dozen states have proposed drug-testing recipients of welfare or other government assistance, taking a tough stance on aiding the poor in the down economy. Critics say such laws would be unconstitutional — an argument that federal judges have agreed with before.

Similar proposals have been introduced in past years by lawmakers in dozens of states, but none currently requires drug testing because it's difficult to get around the arguments that the tests violate the Constitution's ban on unreasonable searches. Michigan's random drug testing program for welfare recipients lasted five weeks in 1999 before it was halted by a judge, kicking off a four-year legal battle that ended with an appeals court ruling it unconstitutional.

No other state has enacted such a program, worrying about legal battles. But lawmakers say they're willing to take the risk, as cash-strapped states struggle to close budget gaps, potentially paving the way for major legal battles. The National Conference of State Legislatures said at least 30 states have proposed to drug test recipients of government aid during the current legislative session.

"It's hard for me to justify to taxpayers that I'm taking your money and giving assistance to people who are buying drugs with it," said Florida state Sen. Paula Dockery, who is sponsoring a bill requiring testing for those who receive temporary cash assistance. The bill passed in the final days of the session and Gov. Rick Scott is expected to sign it.