SB1529

THE CONTEXT: The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Block Grant is used to: 1) provide assistance to needy families so that children may be cared for in their own homes or in homes of relatives; 2) end the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work and marriage; 3) prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies and establish annual numerical goals for preventing and reducing the incidence of these pregnancies; and 4) encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families (42 U. S.

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would as session law, requires DES to screen and test each adult recipient who is eligible for TANF cash benefits and who DES has reasonable cause to believe engages in the illegal use of controlled substances and as session law, specifies that any TANF recipient who tests positive for the use of a controlled substance that was not prescribed for the recipient by a licensed health care provider is ineligible to receive benefits for a period of one year.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to make the government process for human services more definite and accountable. It would as session law, requires DES to screen and test each adult recipient who is eligible for TANF cash benefits and who DES has reasonable cause to believe engages in the illegal use of controlled substances, and would also as session law, specifies that any TANF recipient who tests positive for the use of a controlled substance that was not prescribed for the recipient by a licensed health care provider is ineligible to receive benefits for a period of one year, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.