WELFARE RECIPIENTS FACE DRUG TESTS

On Tuesday, the Department of Economic Security began requiring urine
tests for adult welfare recipients whom officials had "reasonable
cause" to believe were illegally using drugs.

The tests are mandated by a new state law that prevents DES from
giving cash assistance to adults who test positive for illegal-drug
use. Officials believe the bill, which the Legislature passed during
its third special session, could save the state $1.7 million a year in
cash assistance.

As of October, about 22,000 adults were receiving cash-assistance
benefits as part of Arizona's welfare program, Temporary Assistance
for Needy Families.

The main goal for lawmakers was for the state to save money in "these
dire financial times," said Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, a
member of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.

"We don't want people who are abusing drugs to be on welfare,"
Kavanagh said, "because that means that the taxpayers are subsidizing
and facilitating illegal-drug use."

All adult recipients must now fill out a new three-question statement
on illegal-drug use to apply or reapply for DES benefits.

If answers on that statement provide "reasonable cause" of
illegal-substance abuse, the department will notify the adult that
they must complete a drug test within 10 days, at the state's expense.

Drug-test results are usually available within 48 hours. Those who
test positive will be denied cash-assistance benefits for a 12-month
period.

In addition, DES officials would administer tests based on reports of
possible drug abuse received from law-enforcement or other government
agencies, according to DES spokeswoman Kevan Kaighn.

But a spokesman for the Phoenix Police Department said that
law-enforcement officers do not currently inquire about welfare
status, nor do they correspond with DES officials on matters of
illegal-substance abuse, and have no plans to start.

"We do not identify people by their social status, if you will,"
spokesman Officer James Holmes said. "And we absolutely do not report
drug abuse, drug arrests, drug anything to DES. There's just no reason
to do that."

The budget committee based the $1.7 million in estimated savings on
studies on the number of drug abusers in the population, minus the
cost of drug testing.

Kavanagh said lawmakers modeled the new law after Missouri, which
introduced a similar bill earlier this year. Several other states have
passed laws requiring drug testing for welfare recipients, as the
economic climate has forced more to seek assistance from state aid
programs.

There were 85,799 such recipients in Arizona in August, a 6.3 percent
increase over last year, according to an October JLBC report.

Local and national organizations have taken a stand against drug
testing, saying they will cause more harm than good. In a June
statement, the Center for Law and Social Policy, a non-profit group in
Washington, D.C., called random drug testing of welfare recipients
"costly, ineffective" and harmful to families.

DES officials expect the testing will have minimal impact because
those convicted of felony drug charges are already disqualified from
receiving cash assistance, Kaighn said. Nevertheless, she said the new
steps could deter some welfare participants who use illegal drugs.

"We want to ensure the integrity of the program," Kaighn said.