Welfare applicants in South Dakota would be screened and tested for illegal drugs under a bill that will be introduced in the state legislature later this week.
The bill would require adults applying for cash assistance complete a screening or questionnaire and be subjected to a mandatory drug screening. They would not receive the benefit if they test positive.

The bill’s main sponsor, Representative Lynne DiSanto of Rapid City says the bill would make sure welfare recipients don’t use taxpayer dollars inappropriately…

Those who test positive for drugs would be connected to treatment options. DiSanto says the bill would require any welfare applicant to pay the approximately 25 to 30 dollar initial drug test fee….

DiSanto says support for this bill has been “overwhelmingly positive”…

DiSanto’s next step is approaching tribal leaders across the state to get support for the bill.
DiSanto says just about any job requires some type of drug testing, and that should apply to welfare recipients as well. In 2011 and 2012, South Dakota lawmakers rejected bills requiring drug tests for welfare recipients.