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Conditions receipt of TANF cash assistance, SNAP benefits, and most federal rental housing assistance for adults aged 18 and older on state-conducted checks for recent drug-related arrests, substance-use screening, and drug testing. States and housing agencies decide testing details (which arrests count, which drugs are tested, timing and methods), cannot charge applicants for tests, and face a 15% cut to certain federal grants the year after a finding of substantial noncompliance. Positive tests bar individuals from assistance for up to 12 months or until treatment completion/negative test as set by the state or housing agency.
The bill aims to deter drug use among benefit recipients and gives States flexibility to implement screening while protecting applicants from paying testing fees — but it risks excluding or destabilizing many low‑income households, imposing administrative burdens, and creating privacy and equity concerns across states.
Low-income applicants for TANF, SNAP, and HUD-assisted housing will not be charged for required drug tests or screenings, reducing out-of-pocket costs for people seeking benefits.
State governments (TANF/SNAP/HUD administrators) are given authority and flexibility to set screening and testing procedures, allowing programs to be tailored to local needs and operational realities.
If one adult is found ineligible under TANF rules, other family members can continue to receive assistance amounts for which they are eligible, preserving some household support.
Low-income adults (18+) who fail or miss drug screenings can be denied or suspended from TANF, SNAP, or HUD-assisted housing, increasing the risk of food insecurity, loss of housing, and financial instability for recipients and their households.
States and public housing agencies face a 15% federal funding penalty for noncompliance, which could reduce administrative capacity, services, or benefits statewide and harm many recipients if penalties are applied.
Requiring arrest-history checks (e.g., prior 5 years) and using arrest information can bar or delay eligible people — including those arrested but not convicted — from receiving benefits and raises privacy and civil‑liberties concerns.
Introduced January 13, 2025 by David Rouzer · Last progress January 13, 2025