State Rep. Jeff Farrington, a Utica Republican, has resurrected the dormant issue of establishing mandatory drug testing for welfare recipients.
A bill introduced by the freshman lawmaker is the latest attempt to make sure those on the dole are clean. The issue has been debated in the Legislature for more than a decade. Farrington said his bill would apply when a person newly applies for benefits but it’s unclear if he will establish an exception for those who are on the welfare roll because they are in need of substance abuse treatment.
In a statement, Farrington said:
“Welfare benefits are for those who truly need temporary assistance. After recipients leave the welfare rolls and re-enter the workforce, many of them will be required at the job application stage to complete a drug screening before gaining employment — new welfare recipients should follow this same principle.
“To be clear, this is not an attack on the overall base of welfare recipients. No matter how many — or few — recipients test positive for using illegal drugs, Michigan taxpayers should not have to contribute their hard earned dollars to those who choose an illegal lifestyle. It’s time we reformed the welfare system to make sure our limited resources are spent on those who are truly in need.”
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