OKLAHOMA CITY - Legislation filed by Republican State Representative John Bennett would require recipients of state aid to undergo routine drug tests as a condition of eligibility.

House Bill 1083 would require those applying for state assistance to undergo urine screenings for illicit drugs upon application and every 6-months following.

Bennett says he has a plan to pay for what would be a large number of drug tests, by deducting the cost of the test from the first aid payment if an individual passes.

Apparently those who fail would not have to pay for the test, but would lose benefits for a year if already receiving them. Those who fail upon first applying would be ineligible for 90 days.

Bennett says private employers can fire employees who test positive for drugs and the state should be able to do the same to those receiving state aid. However, it’s important to point out that most employers do not require employees to pay for initial drug tests.

-From Staff Reports