North Dakota lawmaker introduces legislation to drug test

Representative Dennis Johnson has introduced  House Bill 1385 to require drug testing of Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Despite his own assertion that is costs more than it save and may not be legal, he is moving forward. 

His proposal is modeled after Florida's law, which is currently tied up in court to determine constitutionality. As reported by Pew Charitable Trusts:

"But questions remain on the constitutionality of such measures and whether they really save states any money. As Stateline has reported, Florida last year passed the country’s most extensive welfare drug testing law that included requiring applicants to pay for the test themselves and get reimbursed if they test negative. The law was in effect for four months before it was challenged and it’s now working its way through the courts, During the four months that Florida had the law on its book, 2.6 percent of the state’s cash assistance applicants failed the drug test, or 108 of 4,086, The New York Times had reported, and because the state paid an average of $30 to reimburse for each test, the new law ended up costing the state an extra $45,780, the paper said."

Is this a reasonable debate to have for our state legislature? When there is ample evidence to prove the inefficacy of these programs, shouldn't we consider debating how to provide more support to those suffering addiction that isn't punitive?

Other sponsors of the bill are Representatives Brandenburg, Hofstad, N. Johnson, Kempenich, Pollert, and Senators Campbell, Larsen, and Sitte.