Latest news, weather and high school sports for Albany and Southwest Georgia

ALBANY, GA -- The New York Senate is considering a law requiring welfare recipients to undergo a drug test before receiving their checks. Georgia is no stranger to proposals like this and is actually considering it for 2011.

Last March, a bill was introduced in Georgia suggesting that drug tests be mandatory before people receive unemployment or welfare benefits. The bill never went through but state representatives say it could be brought up again this year.

“It's good legislation so there's no reason not to bring it up again,” says State Rep. Jimmy Pruett (R-Eastman).

In the proposed legislation from last year, lawmakers suggested requiring random drug tests for anyone getting unemployment benefits or welfare. Rep. Pruett says this would serve as assurance for taxpayers that their money is being used to help those in need, not those with substance abuse problems.

“To pick up your check, welfare or unemployment, and you tested positive, then you had thirty days to come back and if you were clean then, no problem, you get your money,” says Rep. Pruett, who supported the bill.

The American Civil Liberties Union says, “Drug testing welfare recipients as a condition of eligibility is a policy that is scientifically, fiscally, and constitutionally unsound. Welfare recipients are no more likely to use drugs than the rest of the population.”

Rep. Pruett says last year constituents felt like they were being punished, which he says he believes ultimately led to no action being taken on the bill in 2010.

“A lot of people think when you talk about legislation like this, you're actually mad at somebody or upset with somebody or want to treat someone badly but it's not that at all,” says Rep. Pruett.

Some Southwest Georgians believe mandating drug tests before picking up welfare and unemployment checks is a good idea.

“It is needed so people would use that money for the wrong reasons and buy drugs instead of getting the money for good causes like food,” says Albany citizen John Oninome.

Even those who know people on unemployment and welfare agree with the idea, saying they want to make sure their tax money is going toward getting someone’s life back in order.

Brandon Nelson of Albany says if people disagree with the drug tests, saying it’s an invasion of their privacy, they should think about those who are paying for their benefits.

“When you're coming to us, you need to come to us as a whole. If you're using our money, we should know a lot about you,” says Nelson.

Rep. Pruett says the goal with the mandating drug tests before receiving federal benefits is not holding someone back, but giving them a hand up.

“We’re hurting the individual that we allow to continue to draw that unemployment when we know that one of the issues is the fact that they do have a drug problem,” says Rep. Pruett.

Rep. Pruett says the writer of last year’s bill in Georgia, Rep. Michael Harden, may reintroduce the bill in 2011.

Rep. Pruett says he’s working on another bill that would be an additional help to those who are unemployed.

He says currently the Work Force Readiness program in Georgia takes an evaluation of potential employees to help those looking to set up new industry in the state gauge if Georgia has employees with the skill levels they are looking for.

“My bill will address that into if you're unemployed you will be required to take that evaluation and see where you fall in the line of weaknesses or things you need to improve on that might put you in a position more likely to get a job,” says Rep. Pruett.

Should Georgians on welfare be required to take random drug tests? Is it a violation of their right to privacy or is it needed to make sure taxpayer money is used appropriately?