Missouri Lawmakers - Part 2

SB 7 - Creates the "TANF Child Protection and Drug Free Home Act" regarding drug testing for work-eligible TANF applicants and recipients

Since I am still waiting on a response from my State senator, david pearce, on the first bill I was going to bring to your attention, here is another one you might be interested in.

This bill lets the department of social services drug test people receiving TANF benefits if a social worker feels there may be substance abuse.

That's great. I partially agree with this. Here is where my thoughts are a little different, when I got the job that I have now, the one that provides tax dollars for the government to give TANF benefits, I took a drug test. I wasn't drug tested because the HR lady thought there might be substance abuse, I was drug tested because it is a requirement for me to be hired.

People receiving any kind of welfare should be drug tested before they are able to pick up a check, period.

I realize there are people out there who truly need help, and I know that taxes are the way in which the government provides help to these people. But the very thought of those people using my tax dollars to purchase drugs burns my ass especially since this money is provided for support of children...

Here is the sumary of SB7

This bill is a combination of several other bills (SB7, SB5, SB74 & SB169), The current sponsor is Senator Jack Goodman

SB 7 - This act requires the Department of Social Services to develop a program to test applicants or recipients of temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) benefits who are eligible for employment when a case worker believes, based on reasonable suspicion, that such person engages in illegal use of controlled substances. Any applicant or recipient who is found to have tested positive for the use of a controlled substance after an administrative hearing shall be declared ineligible for temporary assistance for needy families benefits for a period of three years from the date of the administrative hearing decision. The department shall refer an applicant or recipient who tested positive for the use of a controlled substance under this act to an appropriate substance abuse treatment program approved by the division of alcohol and drug abuse within the Department of Mental Health. Also, if a parent is deemed ineligible for TANF benefits due to the provisions of this act, his or her dependent child's eligibility for such benefits shall not be affected and an appropriate protective payee may be established for the benefit of the child. The department shall promulgate rules to develop the screening and testing provisions of this section.