LITTLE ROCK (AP) — An Arkansas lawmaker is proposing that the state require recipients of state unemployment benefits to pass a drug test.
Republican Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson of Benton on Tuesday filed legislation that would require applicants for unemployment benefits to undergo a drug test. The bill calls for drug testing to be administered to a random group of applicants before the first and thirteenth weekly payments.
Anyone who refuses to take a drug test could not receive unemployment benefits under the proposal.
Similar legislation was filed in the 2011 session, but failed before a Senate committee.
Comments (39)
Add commentThis is a great idea.
I will pay all of the extra taxes this plan requires. All of our public employees and elected officials should be included.
"All of our public employees
"All of our public employees and elected officials should be included."
What makes you think they aren't?
Public sector jobs require drug tests too.
Elected officials will just exempt themselves, like they did with Obamacare, etc.
Citation needed
citation needed
citation (other than personal knowledge)
Public Policy
We really need more people like you contributing such rich discourse on public policy. You should run for office and implement some of these great ideas.
you flatter me
I'm too honest and too hated to be elected.
A rock would get more votes than me, and deservedly so, it has more charisma than I do.
on your edit too
or you could just keep changing your entry, that works too.
You are dead on that they
You are dead on that they should be. Our Mayor and city council have fought this when it was brought up before.
The Mayor and city council are the bosses of the Fire and Police officers. They write the employee handbook for all city employees, yet are not required to undergo the same testing that they require for those that they order to.
It's not rare for private
It's not rare for private employers to request drug tests either. Mine did.
Sounds Like a Plan
But I think we should start with give away programs like EBT and what is it Title 4 housing before we go after people's whose wages or employer paid benefit that was earned. I think if my employers did not have to pay into unemployment then I would have earn a higher wage (hourly, weekly or gotten higher salary)
None the less go after the true FREEloaders\welfare recipients that are a drain on the economy 1st rather than go after someone's earned benefits. I think some business people think that there is a bunch of people just living it up on unemployment.
Think about the 3 months out 12 that Axciom employees have to just lounge around you gonna deny them a little weed. Because weed will get you thur times with NO money better than money will get you thur times with NO weed.