House votes to make welfare recipients take drug tests
Here’s a bit out of the capitol about the measure that would bump drug users off the welfare roles:
OKLAHOMA CITY – Welfare recipients would be required to submit to drug testing as a condition of eligibility under legislation approved by the Oklahoma House of Representatives today.
“The message of this bill is simple: Oklahomans should not have their taxes used to fund illegal drug activity,” said state Rep. Guy Liebmann, R-Oklahoma City. “Benefit payments that have been wasted on drug abusers will be available for the truly needy as a result of this bill, and addicts will be incentivized to get treatment.”
House Bill 2388, by Liebmann, would require applicants for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to submit to, and pay for, a drug test.
Individuals who test positive for drugs would be ineligible benefits for one year unless they successfully complete a substance abuse program within six months.
Should a parent test positive for illegal drugs it would not affect a dependent child’s eligibility for the program.
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