Wyo. Senate Committee Advances Welfare-Drug Bill

A bill to require drug testing for participants in a state welfare program has cleared its first hurdle in the Wyoming Senate.

The Senate’s Labor, Health and Social Services Committee amended the bill on Friday to require the Wyoming Department of Human Services to randomly sample at least 100 adult participants in a state welfare program. There are currently 117 adults in the program.

As approved earlier by the House, the bill would require blanket testing of all adult program participants.

The Senate committee amended the bill to allow the department to demand testing from adults if it has probable cause to believe that the person is either using drugs or abusing a child in their care.

Opponents of the bill say requiring drug testing for welfare benefits is unconstitutional.