House Speaker Pushes Drug Testing on Welfare Recipients
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House Speaker Pushes Drug Testing on Welfare Recipients

Date: January 27, 2011
By: Emily Kissee
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
The Republican leadership in the House of Representatives strongly believes the bill requiring welfare recipients to get drug-tested will pass next week.
RunTime:  0:39
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: A scheduling problem led the bill requiring drug testing for welfare recipients to be put on hold.

House Speaker Steve Tilley says the bill should pass next week.

Tilley says he thinks Missourians would all support this bill.

Actuality:  TILLEY4.WAV
Run Time:  00:06
Description: "The thought of their tax dollars going to fund someone to stay home and take drugs is just not something acceptable to them."

Tilley says almost every Republican and most Democrats in the House support this bill.

St. Louis County Democratic Representative Bert Atkins says this bill sets those with substance abuse problems up for failure.

Atkins says by taking money away from the drug offender it punishes the entire family.

From Jefferson City, I'm Emily Kissee.

Intro: 
Even though Missouri legislative staff have an idea of how much drug testing welfare recipients will cost, lawmakers are still haggling over the estimate.
RunTime:  0:42
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: A scheduling issue prevented the bill from coming up for a final vote in the House.

Sikeston Republican Representative Ellen Brandom says the cost of drug testing is minimal.

Actuality:  ELLEN.WAV
Run Time:  00:15
Description: "When we did some costings on drug tests that you can buy they range from three dollars on up to 100 dollars depending. I mean we're not going to test hairs and heads and things that are the most sophisticated way of going."

Legislative staff say it will cost the state over two million dollars a year.

House Republican Speaker Steve Tilley says that is over inflated.

He says he will challenge the fiscal note if he can and he plans to bring the bill to a vote next week.

From Jefferson City, I'm Emily Kissee.