2009 House Bill 2275 (Require random drug screening for welfare aid)

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Introduced by Rep. Kasha Kelley (R) on February 4, 2009, to require all recipients of Kansas welfare aid to agree to random drug screening. Anyone who tests positive for an illegal substance would undergo a drug evaluation and, if called for by the evaluation, an educational or drug treatment program. Anyone failing to complete a required treatment program would be denied further state aid.
- Referred to the House Health and Human Services Committee on March 16, 2009.
  - Reported in the House on March 19, 2009, recommending the bill be passed as amended. House committee amendments include: limitations to those subject to random drug testing, restricting the program to cash assistance recipients and requiring testing of one-third of recipients each year; a delay in the implementation date for the program by one year; reporting requirements to certain legislative committees; making persons who qualify under the Grandparents as Caregivers Act subject to random drug testing; and, deleting proposed expenditures of state forfeiture moneys for the drug screening program.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Kasha Kelley (R) on March 24, 2009, to delete a provision that would pay for the costs of screening, evaluation and treatment using money obtained from asset seizures and forfeitures from criminal law enforcement. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 24, 2009.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Charles Roth (R) on March 24, 2009, to specify that persons who have a second positive test would be required to again complete an education or treatment program, but that persons who have a third positive test would be terminated from cash assistance. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 24, 2009.
- Amendment offered by Rep. Gail Finney (D) on March 24, 2009, to make a clerical change in language that does not affect the substance of the bill. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on March 24, 2009.
- Motion by Rep. Geraldine Flaharty (D) on March 24, 2009, to refer the bill to the House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice. The motion failed in the House (46 to 78) on March 24, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
Passed in the House (99 to 26) on March 25, 2009, to require all recipients of Kansas welfare aid to agree to random screening, with those who test positive for an illegal substance to undergo a evaluation and, if called for by the evaluation, an educational or treatment program. Anyone failing to complete a required treatment program or who tests positive for a third time would be denied further state aid . [Vote Details and Comments]
Received in the Senate on March 25, 2009.
- Referred to the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee on March 30, 2009.

Most Recent Comments

1) Re: 2009 House Bill 2275 (Require random drug screening for welfare aid) [by railman on April 4, 2009]

I have no problem with this because most places of employment require the same thing. If i want to continue getting a paycheck i must be able to pass a random U.A. I would say to anyone who doesn't like this to find a new source of income.

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2) Re: 2009 House Bill 2275 (Require random drug screening for welfare aid) [by 1234 on April 2, 2009]

I find this bill interesting and concerning. I understand the desire of the state to want to attempt to regulate who is receiving welfare and wanting to maintain some level of accountability that comes along with those who receive that state money. What I find interesting and incredibly demeaning is the assumption that people who are on welfare are doing drugs. The day that a politician is required to participate in random polygraph tests upon the whim of an average citizen's choosing under the assumption that every politician is a liar will be the day that the discrimination that is underlying this bill makes sense to those who are not in the shoes of the ones that affects.

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3) 2009 House Bill 2275 (Require random drug screening for welfare aid) [by admin on January 1, 2001]
Introduced in the House on February 4, 2009, to require all recipients of Kansas welfare aid to agree to random screening, with those who test positive for an illegal substance to undergo a evaluation and, if called for by the evaluation, an educational or treatment program. Anyone failing to complete a required treatment program or who tests positive for a third time would be denied further state aid

The vote was 99 in favor, 26 opposed and 0 not voting

(House Roll Call 0 at House Journal 0)

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