FIA: SUBSTANCE ABUSE TESTING - S.B. 944: FLOOR ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 944 (as reported without amendment)

Sponsor: Senator Joel D. Gougeon

Committee: Families, Mental Health and Human Services

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Social Welfare Act to provide that the Family Independence Agency could require substance abuse testing as a condition for family independence assistance under the Act. As a condition of receiving family independence assistance, an individual who tested positive for substance abuse would have to enroll in substance abuse treatment, which would become part of the recipient's social contract under Section 57e of the Act.

Section 57e provides that each family receiving family independence assistance must execute a social contract outlining the responsibilities of family members. The social contract must identify the goals that are to be met by members of the family independence assistance group (family members, and individuals living with the family, who receive family independence assistance). The social contract also must include specific responsibilities described in the Act.

MCL 400.57b - Legislative Analyst: P. Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on State government. Since each Family Independence Program (FIP) recipient could be considered for testing as a condition of program eligibility, the potential Department costs would be the result of performing an illegal substance test for each recipient. The Department will consider a pilot project for FY 1998-99, which would advise each program applicant about the mandatory test. Also, current recipients could be randomly selected for drug screening and possible testing. In addition, individuals who tested positive could be retested to verify the initial test results. Tests range in cost from $1.80 for a single panel of five drugs to $16.25 for a skin five drug test. The November 1997 FIP recipient level was 400,575. Assuming one-third are adults, the cost of drug testing the entire adult caseload would range from $240,300 to $2.2 million. The costs for transportation, to the sample collection sites included in the pilot project, is not included in the above assumption.

Date Completed: 3-13-98 - Fiscal Analyst: C. Cole

FLOOR\SB944 - Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.