Survey Respondents Favor Suspicion-Based Welfare Drug Testing

A new survey indicates that lots of Michigan voters support a proposal to test recipients of public assistance who are suspected of using drugs. More than three-quarters of those asked by Lansing-based Marketing Resource Group said they favor such legislation pending in the Michigan Legislature. M-R-G President Tom Shields told MLive that the results showed broad support from every region of the state… and from voters in every income range. The proposal in the legislature would require the state Department of Human Services to test welfare recipients suspected of using drugs, then send recipients with positive tests to rehabilitation. The legislation requires the department to pay for rehab for recipients if they do not have insurance. Recipients would lose their benefits if they fail a second test. Specific information about the proposal was not included in the poll question.