Law would require drug test for unemployment assistance

AJC:

A Toccoa legislator is sponsoring a bill to require random drug testing of recipients of unemployment compensation benefits and other government assistance.

HB 1389, sponsored by Rep. Michael Harden, would require that the cost of the drug test be paid by the recipient or deducted from his or her benefits. Failing the drug test could result in a loss of benefits.

Harden's proposal calls for the Georgia Labor Commissioner to conduct annual random drug testing of unemployment benefit recipients.

Those testing positive for use of "marijuana, dangerous drugs, or a controlled substance" would be tested a second time, according to the bill.

Anyone failing a mandated second test would lose their benefits -- and the ability to apply for benefits -- for two years.

Refusing to submit to drug testing also would make a person ineligible for benefits, according to the bill.

Georgia unemployment rate currently is 10.8 percent, the highest on record and among the highest in the United States.

Harden could not be reached Tuesday night for comment.

 

This is a waste of time and money.  I have a number of friends who are gainfully employed making a whole lot more money than I do in computer graphics/animation and other art school-esque degrees who do "the pot" so to speak.  Since we're all grown up's here this is certainly neither a shock nor a sign of further moral decay for any of us.  Its just a fact 

 

One or two of them lost their jobs from the economic crash in the game industry... not their drug use.  Let me ask a question... and I'm serious...  If they aren't able to do drugs to keep their unemployment how are they going to "network" as they look for work in their field? 

 

Want to help the budget crisis? Might want to look at some of our efforts/tactics/spending priorities when it comes to criminalizing and locking up otherwise law abiding citizens destroying lives, families, and careers in the process....  we might find some wasteful spending and economic inefficiency that would help improve our economic productivity as a state and cut back on needless/wasteful government spending---but I doubt anyone is going to point that out. 

 

It is an election year after all and our war on drugs has been a stunning success and we can't say anything to the contrary.....

Posted via email from Jim Nichols for GA State House