Indiana House approves costly plan to drug test welfare recipients (HB1007)

[salvorhardin]

The Republican-controlled Indiana House voted 73-23 Tuesday to spend up to $1.5 million for a two-year pilot program drug testing welfare recipients, despite projected savings of only $43,000.

House Bill 1007 sets up drug testing for recipients of Temporary Aid for Needy Families benefits in three counties to be selected by the Family and Social Services Administration. A recipient who fails a drug test would lose his or her benefits.

The sponsor, state Rep. Jud McMillin, R-Brookville, said it doesn't matter that the state will end up spending more money than it saves; it's more important to send a message to welfare recipients that they should not use drugs.

State Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, challenged McMillin to cite any study showing drug users are actively seeking TANF benefits or TANF recipients are more likely to use drugs than the general population.

McMillin could not.

Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/house-approves-costly-plan-to-drug-test-welfare-recipients/article_9b817c4a-47c7-5d96-a42a-30ef813519ae.html

[BlueJazz]

1. About time. Those corporate bastards have been getting a free ride for a long while.

Boy, I'll bet the bankers are sorry they ever messed with us !

[feat12515si]

10. indeed

[salvorhardin]

2. ICHS had a great fact sheet on why this bill is so idiotic

https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=http://ichsonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/ICHS_Concerns-HB1007DrugTestingTANF1-12-12.pdf

[Joe Shlabotnik]

3. so sad, so wrong.

...."Thanks for Prohibition and the war against drugs.
Thanks for a country where nobody is allowed to mind their own business.
Thanks for a nation of finks.
Yes, thanks for all the memories— alright let's see your arms!"....
-William S. Burroughs

[AngryOldDem]

4. Yet they can't see their way clear to fund mass transit.

I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that they are worthless.

Oh...and I like the sweeping generalization that if people are on TANF they're also on drugs. Nice.

[salvorhardin]

5. So many Democrats voted Yes on this one too

Truly pathetic. To support a bill like this, one has to ignore the overwhelming evidence that it's an ineffective money pit that harms children.

[AngryOldDem]

6. If I understand this bill correctly....

...children can potentially be removed from the home, or aid can be denied, even though there are kids in the home.

I don't think I've ever seen a bigger group of idiots in my life, what with some of the shit that's going down at the Statehouse this session.

[salvorhardin]

7. Yep. That's how I understand it too.

Mind you, the max TANF grant for a family of 3 is something like $343 monthly. Honestly, I don't see how they're even going to be able to achieve their projected $46,000 savings (at a cost of $1.5 million) with this program.

Plus I have to wonder whose drug lab is going to benefit from this bill ala Rick Scott's Solantic.

[caraher]

8. The state legislature should submit to drug tests

Most of this session's legislative agenda seems best explained by heavy drug use...

[AngryOldDem]

11. Actually, they will

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012120130039

Not sure, but I think this is in response to the TANF bill.

[feat12515si]

9. nt