New Indiana Law to Make Welfare Recipients Take Drug Test

Indiana law makers want to require the state's welfare program to test people for drugs. 

A new bill would deny welfare benefits to people who test positive.  This week, lawmakers clearned this bill for a full vote in the house.  If passed...everyone who applies for welfare assistance in the state of Indiana will have to take a drug test.

Indiana would be the 8th state to test welfare recipients for drug abuse.

Andy Downs is a professor at IPFW's Center for Indiana Politics.  He says drug testing has become a hot topic is state legislatures in recent years.

According to Indiana's bill...people who apply for state welfare programs would have to take a written test to determine whether they may have a drug addiction.  If there's suspicion they do, the state issues a urine or blood test.  If you fail that then your benefits would be cut off.

So far, seven states have passed similar laws.  Michigan was the first but in 2003, it was overturned by a federal judge. 

The court ruling that random tests violate the fourth amendment protection against unreasonable search and seizure.  Downs says the written test may be a way around that.

This week's committee vote passed along party lines which meas there could be a good chance of it passing on a full vote in the republican-controlled house.

WFFT's Robert Bumsted has the details...