HB 30 -- TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE BENEFITS FOR NEEDY FAMILIES

SPONSOR:  Brandom

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Children and Families by a vote of 7 to 4.

This bill requires the Department of Social Services to develop a
program to screen and test work-eligible applicants for or
work-eligible recipients of the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) Program benefits who the department has
reasonable cause to believe, based on the screening, engage in
the illegal use of controlled substances.  Applicants or
recipients who test positive for the use of a controlled
substance after an administrative hearing will be declared
ineligible for TANF benefits for one year beginning on the date
of the administrative hearing decision.  The department will
refer an individual who tests positive to a substance abuse
treatment program approved by the Division of Alcohol and Drug
Abuse within the Department of Mental Health.  Any member of a
household which includes a person who has been declared
ineligible for TANF benefits, if otherwise eligible, will
continue to receive protective or vendor payments through a
third-party payee.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Cost on General Revenue Fund of Unknown
but Greater than $4,000,580 in FY 2010, Unknown but Greater than
$4,901,584 in FY 2011, and Unknown but Greater than $5,098,715 in
FY 2012.  No impact on Other State Funds in FY 2010, FY 2011, and
FY 2012.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that currently 10 states have drug
testing provisions for TANF applicants.  The bill will help
encourage persons using drugs to stop in order to continue to
receive benefits.  There needs to be consequences for drug use,
and the bill provides the motivation to quit.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Brandom; Terra
Guittar, Faith Maternity Care of Mid-Missouri; and Dr. Kevin
Blanton.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that it will hurt
children by reducing the income benefits if their mother or
father loses their benefits.  There are very few options for drug
rehabilitation services for low-income persons.  The better goal
would be to make public policy changes to address the needs of
those with addictions to get services for treatment.  The bill
assumes that drug addicts make rational decisions when it's
evident that they do not.  The bill will actually deter persons
from asking for help because they will be afraid of losing their
TANF benefits.

Testifying against the bill was Missouri Coalition Against
Domestic and Sexual Violence.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:23 am