I would be absolutely amazed if this actually went on to become law, but I do feel its a definite step in the right direction. Hopefully this will become law and as well become adopted in other states.
There should be certain expectations if one is to depend on government assistance and one of those expectations should be not using illegal drugs!
Article
House adopts drug testing
The House gave first-round approval today to a bill that requires drug testing of Kansans who participate in four state public assistance programs.
After a lengthy debate on the House floor, representatives endorsed House Bill 2275. If it is approved on a final vote Wednesday, the bill would still need to be adopted by the Senate and signed by the governor to become law.
The measure sponsored by Rep. Kasha Kelley, R-Arkansas City, mandates testing of an estimated 14,000 people involved in programs managed by the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. Testing would apply to recipients of financial support in the temporary aid for families, general assistance, child care support and grandparents as caregivers programs.
Kelley said the state should work to get parents off illegal drugs and advance the interests of children in those families.
?Shouldn?t you only be fearful if you?re using?? Kelley said.
SRS Secretary Don Jordan said 3 percent to 8 percent of program recipients would likely test positive for marijuana, cocaine, crack or other illegal drugs. The program would cost $800,000 annually, but would not be implemented unless the Legislature made a specific appropriation for the testing. A statewide network of urine sample collection and testing centers would have to be established.
The bill was amended on the House floor to require two failed tests before a person was booted off the state assistance programs.
An amendment to delete people in the state?s grandparents as caregivers program from the new testing mandate was rejected by the House.
Rep. Geraldine Flaharty, D-Wichita, failed to gain enough votes for her motion to send the bill back to a House committee for more work.
Returning the measure to a committee would send the wrong message to Kansans, said Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican and chairwoman of the House Health and Human Services Committee. It was her committee that send the bill to the full House.
Landwehr said referal would declare: ?Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer, we don?t really care if someone buys drugs with your hard-earned money.?
Rep. Marti Crow, D-Leavenworth, said the legislation sought by Kelley and Landwehr left the unmistakable impression the House believes people on public assistance were more likely to be hooked on drugs than a person not on welfare.
?Testing someone because they are poor? Where does that make sense?? Crow asked. ?This is crazy and it?s mean.?
There should be certain expectations if one is to depend on government assistance and one of those expectations should be not using illegal drugs!
Article
House adopts drug testing
The House gave first-round approval today to a bill that requires drug testing of Kansans who participate in four state public assistance programs.
After a lengthy debate on the House floor, representatives endorsed House Bill 2275. If it is approved on a final vote Wednesday, the bill would still need to be adopted by the Senate and signed by the governor to become law.
The measure sponsored by Rep. Kasha Kelley, R-Arkansas City, mandates testing of an estimated 14,000 people involved in programs managed by the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services. Testing would apply to recipients of financial support in the temporary aid for families, general assistance, child care support and grandparents as caregivers programs.
Kelley said the state should work to get parents off illegal drugs and advance the interests of children in those families.
?Shouldn?t you only be fearful if you?re using?? Kelley said.
SRS Secretary Don Jordan said 3 percent to 8 percent of program recipients would likely test positive for marijuana, cocaine, crack or other illegal drugs. The program would cost $800,000 annually, but would not be implemented unless the Legislature made a specific appropriation for the testing. A statewide network of urine sample collection and testing centers would have to be established.
The bill was amended on the House floor to require two failed tests before a person was booted off the state assistance programs.
An amendment to delete people in the state?s grandparents as caregivers program from the new testing mandate was rejected by the House.
Rep. Geraldine Flaharty, D-Wichita, failed to gain enough votes for her motion to send the bill back to a House committee for more work.
Returning the measure to a committee would send the wrong message to Kansans, said Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican and chairwoman of the House Health and Human Services Committee. It was her committee that send the bill to the full House.
Landwehr said referal would declare: ?Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer, we don?t really care if someone buys drugs with your hard-earned money.?
Rep. Marti Crow, D-Leavenworth, said the legislation sought by Kelley and Landwehr left the unmistakable impression the House believes people on public assistance were more likely to be hooked on drugs than a person not on welfare.
?Testing someone because they are poor? Where does that make sense?? Crow asked. ?This is crazy and it?s mean.?