Ohio Lawmakers Propose Bill Requiring Drug Screening for Welfare Applicants

A bill introduced Wednesday in Ohio’s state legislature would require people applying for welfare to undergo drug screening. If the screening suggested drug use, they would have to take a drug test, ABC News reports.

People who tested positive would not receive cash assistance. A third party could get the payment on behalf of the person’s children and dependents, the article notes.

Sponsors of the bill say people who tested positive for drugs would be connected to treatment options. The bill sets aside $100,000 annually for drug treatment. The state would pay for drug tests that come back negative, but people who fail the tests would have to cover the expense—about $35 for urine tests.

Most recipients of cash benefits in Ohio are children, the article notes. As of May, 94,240 children and 15,356 adults received benefits.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio says the measure unfairly targets a group of people who receive public benefits. “The overall conversation of placing the blame on people with public assistance is not the solution to Ohio’s struggle with addiction,” said Lisa Wurm, a policy manager for ACLU of Ohio.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least 13 states have passed legislation regarding drug testing or screening for public assistance applicants or recipients (Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Utah). Some apply to all applicants, while others state that screening or testing apply only if there is a reason to believe the person is engaging in illegal drug activity or has a substance use disorder.

Florida’s law was halted by a district judge. The court ruled the law was an “unreasonable search.”

As of July 2015, at least 18 states have proposed legislation requiring some form of drug testing or screening for public assistance recipients this year.