A bill that would have required drug testing for Iowans who apply for government assistance has been tabled. Three other states have such a requirement in place, but Representative Renee Schulte, a Republican from Cedar Rapids, says there were too many unanswered questions.
“One of the biggest issues is the fiscal impact,” Schulte says. “We’re looking at the state needed to have to pay for all the drug tests which I believe they said in Arizona was $4 million; Missouri was $2 million.” How to ensure the children of adults who test positive for drug use get coverage was another concern.
A family of three can qualify for about $400 in government assistance, according to Schulte. “And so there may be some further discussion needed if we were looking at trying to restrict how you spend those cash payments that would make a little more sense than this drug testing idea that we can’t afford right now,” she says.
The bill was discussed this morning by a three-member subcommittee and has been tabled for the year.