Senator Mano Janssen has developed a bill that would help develop a plan to test welfare recipients and applicants for drugs. A new bill that is being passed to the Nebraska state legislature is asking that recipients of welfare benefits be tested for drug use to determine if welfare benefits should be given. The idea had been discussed by several states last year but prohibitive aspects such as cost and court challenges were enough to cause the idea to be dropped.

Janssen feels that the move could help prove that benefits were truly acting as a help up rather than a hand out. â When a taxpayer gives assistance to somebody, itâ assistance so they can get back up on their feet,â Janssen said. Â Positive drug test results would result in a one year loss of benefits.

â Itâ kind of a slap in the face to the taxpayers when they say, â Weâ re going to get up on our feet while weâ re doing drugs.â â Thereâ a good grannie that the bill wonâ t be passed this year( largely due to the high cost such a program would take to get started) but Janssen feels that the move could help save the state money over time.