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By Michael Sluss
RICHMOND
Citing uncertainty about the proposal's cost, a House of Delegates subcommittee voted Monday to hold off on legislation that would subject Virginia welfare recipients to drug testing.
On a voice vote, a House Appropriations subcommittee recommended carrying over HB73 to next year. If the full committee follows the subcommittee's recommendation, the controversial legislation will be shelved for the year.
Subcommittee members expressed concerns about the legislation's cost. The Department of Planning and Budget estimates that the drug testing provision would cost the state $1.3 million in its first year of implementation and $1 million annually in later years.
"It's just that the money situation is tight," said Del. Riley Ingram, R-Hopewell, the subcommittee's chairman.
The bill's sponsor, Del. Dickie Bell, R-Staunton, questioned the accuracy of the cost projections, saying "they're all estimates."
"I don't know how really to disprove these numbers when we don't have a database of actual testing that has taken place," Bell said.
The legislation would require local social services agencies to screen recipients in the state welfare program to determine whether they use illegal drugs. Those who refuse to comply or fail a drug test would lose Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits for one year unless they enter a drug-treatment program.
A recipient would have one opportunity to be reinstated to the program by complying with screening, assessment and treatment requirements.
An identical Senate bill has been referred to the budget-writing Senate Finance Committee.
Critics of the bill argue that it unfairly targets the poor and that there is no evidence that the poor are more likely to abuse drugs than the rest of the population. Del. Onzlee Ware, D-Roanoke, made a motion to kill the bill Monday, but other subcommittee members would not go along with it.
Supporters of the legislation say the drug-testing provision would help ensure that TANF funds are being used for legitimate needs. But some who have expressed support for the bill had concerns about its cost.
"I think by carrying it over (to 2013), we can get maybe a little better understanding of what it's going to cost," said Del. John O'Bannon, R-Henrico County.
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A girl in my class at TCC
A girl in my class at TCC who knows a lot more about the topic than us said that people get stuck on welfare because the benefits of cheaper food and rent are lost once the recipients get jobs. She said it's harder to feed a family when the cost of living suddenly skyrockets, and after the bills are paid, they are ultimately worse off than before. She said it would be easier for people to get off of welfare if some of the benefits remained until the people made high enough wages to support themselves entirely without assistance. Why not require a gaining A better education as part of the welfare package?
Preaching to the Choir
Hot subject, but you are preaching to the choir. We need to send the message to our politicians who depend on the welfare vote to keep them in office. "Stop spending our taxpayer dollars on Welfare."
and also put an end to
and also put an end to corporate welfare too right? I really wish some people who were actually on welfare posted in this forum. It would be nice to hear their side of the story.
When?
When are people going to start getting mad at the REAL responsible parties here? - The lawmakers that are allowing this to happen.
Yes, people are taking advantage of the system, and yes it is a broken system - but who is to blame for that? Last time I checked, BOTH parties (TANF recipients and Lawmakers) are collecting these hard earned taxpayer dollars.
You complain of people being on govt programs for years, but dont lawmakers/politicians carry benefits for LIFE after serving only ONE term?
Your hostility (and mine) while valid, are a bit misdirected.
Im all for tightening the budget up, but drug testing is not the answer and if it is - it should be for ALL collecting taxpayer $$ not just some.
Wow, from reading these posts, i have just learned that ...
... everyone NOT on welfare gets drug tested monthly. And that welfare recipients drive "Escalades and Tahoes" (from 2Frustrated) and have "22 inch wheels" (from Douglas_G) on their rides. The racial dog whistle aspect of this story is strong my friends. Its bled thru with a couple of posts. And it dovetails well with the "Obama / reparations" vitriol, the "food stamp society" vitriol, and the "welfare state" vitriol that his detractors like to hurl.
You got it
and welcome to their ugly little world. Next the most racist among them will accuse you of being a racist and using the "race card" as per the Luntz/Gingrich playbook. . .
Today's extreme right GOP has inherited the place (and membership) of yesterday's hate groups (Birchers, KKK, Aryan Nations . . .)
Huh?
We keep hearing how whites make up the majority of people on welfare. How is asking that my tax money not be stolen from me and given to drug users at all racist? I am white, the majority on welfare are white... that makes me a racist? Ok then. Keep on calling people you disagree with names. It really helps your argument. No, really. It does.
Don't fool yourself
When you say "welfare" the first thing that comes to mind is the poor midwestern single white woman struggling to support her family until she can get back on her feet. Give me a break. For years now conservatives have used entitlement programs to conjure up images of a "lazy Black wellare queen who breeds for profit. image of the lazy Black wellare queen who breeds for profit." "Rightwing reformers cast Whites as "deserving" clients who are legitimately unable to pay their own way through no fault of their own. Blacks are labeled "undeserving" recipients who are looking for the feds to subsidize their slothfulness." (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n2_v48/ai_12970819/)
Do you honestly think white when you think welfare?
Disappointing thumbs down vote
I have problems w/ the welfare program in general. How is it young able-bodied men & women somehow can't work and somehow wind up on welfare for YEARS? Meanwhile, they have enough $ to get their nails & hair done every week, tote around Coach or Dolce & Gabbana purses, drive fancy cars w/ shiny rims, and eat steak & lobster way more often than I do each month. Fine, lets not drug test them monthly. Instead, drug test them (and new applicants) annually as part of a "wellness screening." If they can require women to get ultrasounds before contemplating abortions, they can surely mandate welfare applicants and current recipients to get a physical annually. Medicaid would probably pay for it, so the "cost" is already rolled into that program.
Call it like I see it!
VA is doing a cost projection on the amount of the drug testing so let's solve it. Make the TANF recipient pay for the drug test from their check anywhere from $25 - $75 depending on where they send the tests to be done and in bulk who knows you may get a discount.... Should they pass they get the money in the next check. Should they fail well then I guess they are out of luck. I am tired of people feeling they are entitled to what I work for. I pass random drug tests in order to keep my job why shouldn't they pass random drug tests in order to keep my money?