HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3228        FILED ON: 1/14/2009

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 121

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act Relative to Public Assistance Substance Screening..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 1: The Department of Transitional Assistance shall establish a program for random drug testing persons receiving public assistance, not inclusive to food stamps. This program shall be applied only to individual(s) who hold prior convictions on any drug related charge. This includes but is not limited to drug possession and intent to distribute.

Section 2: The Department of Transitional Assistance shall provide suitable remedies to individuals with positive drug tests. The department shall also develop strategies to help ensure that participants receiving transitional assistance are drug-free. Individuals who do not comply with the rehabilitation recommendations set forth by the department of transitional assistance may face a suspension of their benefits.

Section 3: The Department of Transitional Assistance shall collect, record, and publish statistics relating to those individuals who collect public assistance and test positive for substances for which they do not have a prescription.