A Talk with Sponsor of Bill Requiring Drug Tests for Some Food Stamp Recipients

  On March 20, 2014, in the final hours of the legislative session, Georgia lawmakers passed HB 772, a bill which would require some food stamp recipients to submit to drug tests–if state officials have a reasonable suspicion that the recipients are using drugs.

The measure is a response to a recent Federal court ruling that threw out a Florida law requiring drug tests for welfare recipients.  Georgia had passed a similar bill in 2012, but had decided not to enforce it while the Florida challenge was pending.  The court’s ruling means that the 2012 Georgia bill remains in limbo.