PANELS OK REQUIRING DRUG TESTS FOR WELFARE

Two legislative committees authorized on Monday a study prior to the
2009 legislative session of a proposal to require recipients of
certain public assistance to undergo random drug testing in order to
continue receiving assistance.

Those who failed a drug test would have to successfully complete a
one-year drug treatment program approved by the state Department of
Human Services and remain drug-free during the program.

The proposal was submitted by Rep. Frank Glidewell and Sen. Denny
Altes, both Republicans from Fort Smith.

The public assistance "shall be discontinued" if the person fails to
complete the drug treatment program or fails to remain drug-free in
the program.

The state would be required to seek any federal government approvals
needed to implement the proposal's provisions.

The House and Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committees OK'd
the study with no discussion, debate or questions.

Afterward, Glidewell said in a telephone interview that recipients of
public assistance, such as food stamps and other welfare aid, would be
subject to random drug testing under the proposal, but Medicaid
recipients wouldn't be tested.

He said he hopes to introduce a similar proposal as a bill in the 2009
regular session. The session begins in January. He said the proposal
is modeled after bills introduced in California, Georgia and Oklahoma
that have yet to become laws.

Glidewell said he believes that alcohol and / or drug problems are
"pretty widespread" among recipients of public assistance. It may not
be their largest problem, but "it's a problem" that is a sickness like
tuberculosis and cancer, he said.

"If we can help people out by sending [them ] to rehab, I think we are
making better citizens out of them," he said.

Julie Munsell, a spokesman for the state Department of Human Services,
said existing federal regulations for the food stamp program don't
allow for drug testing of recipients as a condition of eligibility.
Thus, the state would not be able to implement the proposal to food
stamp recipients, she said.

In the last fiscal year, 553, 618 people received food stamps at a
cost of $ 415 million through the department, she said.

Figures regarding the number of people who received public assistance
through the Transitional Employment Assistance Program and the cost
were not available late Monday, said Kim Friedman, a spokesman for the
state Department of Workforce Services, which runs the program.