Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients Act

This measure would require drug screening and, when needed, drug testing for adults who apply for cash aid, food help, and public housing or vouchers. People who test positive would be denied that benefit for at least one year, unless they complete treatment or later test negative. States and housing agencies set how and when to screen and what to test for, and they cannot charge applicants or families for the tests. Families can usually keep getting help for other members even if one adult is denied.

• Who is affected: Adults 18 and older applying for TANF cash aid, SNAP food benefits, and public housing or Section 8 rental help.
• What changes:
  • If you were arrested for a drug-related offense in the past 5 years, you must pass a drug test to get benefits. If not, you complete a short risk screening (like an interview or questionnaire); only those flagged as high risk must take and pass a test. Others do not have to test.
  • A positive test makes you ineligible for at least one year, or until you finish treatment, or until you later test negative, whichever is later.
  • Testing costs are covered by the program; applicants and households are not billed.
  • Family impact: TANF payments for other family members are not reduced; in public housing, aid is prorated for the rest of the family if one adult is ineligible.
  • Enforcement: States or housing agencies that do not enforce these rules lose 15% of related federal funds the next year.
• When:
  • SNAP: takes effect 240 days after the law is enacted.
  • TANF: starts the first day of the first month after 240 days from enactment.
  • Public housing/Section 8: starts the first day of the first month after 240 days from enactment.