Kansas Votes Forum

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)

Click here to view bill details.

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.

 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.