Senator Turner Rips Drug Testing Provision in HB 487

(Columbus) –State Senator Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) reacted today to a move by Senate Republicans to amend House Bill 487, the budget corrections bill, to include a measure that would force participants in the Ohio Works First (OWF) program to submit to drug testing.

“Given all of the challenges facing the citizens of Ohio, vilifying those who are poor is unacceptable,” said Senator Turner. “There is no question that those receiving public assistance should not be using these funds for anything illegal, but to infer that everyone on OWF is a criminal suspect is wrong. The true victims of this measure will not be irresponsible adults, but the families and children who depend upon these temporary benefits to get by.”

The amendment is modeled on legislation introduced last year by Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster), and is similar to a law introduced in Florida that is currently facing a court challenge. To escape questions of constitutionality, the latest iteration of this provision will include an assessment that public assistance recipients must undergo to determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe that they use illicit drugs.

“This survey will open up yet another opportunity for profiling to occur based on race and class,” Turner commented. “Who will get to decide what is considered reasonable cause?”

The Florida legislation, marketed as a tool to save the state money, actually increased costs. The law requires the state to reimburse the cost of drug tests for those that pass them, a practice that costs more than savings gained from denied benefits. According to Florida state figures, 97.4 percent of applicants passed their drug tests. The language added to HB 487 will contain the same provision.

“Not only is this a frivolous distraction from the Senate’s examination of the policy-laden budget corrections bill, it unfairly targets families who have fallen on hard times. Moreover, this will result in a wasteful expenditure of taxpayer money,” stated Turner. “Since when did targeting poor people become good public policy?”