Pubdate: Wed, 21 Mar 2012
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA)
Copyright: 2012 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Contact: http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/letters/sendletter.html
Website: http://www.ajc.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/28
Author: Christopher Quinn, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 

DRUG TESTS AND CLASSES FOR PUBLIC BENEFITS

A Senate proposal to either drug test or require mandatory education
and development classes for Georgians who receive public assistance
passed a state House committee Tuesday.

Legislators debated the merits, purposes and goals of tying benefits
to drug tests and the pursuit of education, and advocates for the
elderly, homeless and poor had a chance to speak to the Judiciary Committee.

"Don't do this," pleaded Viola Davis, an underemployed nurse from
Clarkston who lost her full-time job about a year ago while taking in
a mentally ill nephew and two foreclosed-upon family members.

Davis has received food stamps and could have had to take mandatory
classes while dealing with all of her other problems had the law been
in effect.

"You are creating a perfect storm, and you are not going to realize it
until it's too late," she told the committee.

Sen. William Ligon, R-Brunswick, said his Senate Bill 312 which would
put food stamp recipients in training, would cost about $11 million
for a pilot program. He said it would make people improve themselves,
while Democratic representatives on the committee questioned him about
particulars, such as how it would help someone who is unemployed with
a college degree.

Senate Bill 292, sponsored by Sen. John Albers, R-Roswell, would
require some who receive Temporary Assistance to Needy Families pay
for and pass a drug test. TANF are cash benefits that go to Georgia's
very poorest families and average less than $250 a month. Nearly all
of the money comes from the federal government.

Setting up the program could cost the state $400,000, and bill
supporters said the state should do it to make sure tax money isn't
being used to buy illicit drugs . A fiscal study of the legislation
estimated about 800 of 19,000 applicants would likely test positive
and be denied TANF.

Democrats tried to amend the bill so that those who passed the drug
test would not have to pay, but it was voted down by the majority of
Republicans on the committee. The majority also voted down an
amendment that would have paid for drug treatment for those who tested
positive.

Running the program could cost the state as much as $84,000 a year, or
could produce a surplus of about $100,000, depending on various
factors, the fiscal study said. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.