127th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 1407 LR 1994(03)
An Act To Require Screening and Testing for Illegal Substances of Beneficiaries under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment " "
Committee: Health and Human Services
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Fiscal Note
Current biennium savings - Federal Block Grant Fund
Current biennium cost increase - General Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
This bill adds a drug screening and testing component to the eligibility requirements for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). The provisions of this bill were recently added to the TANF rules, so there is no fiscal impact to that program. There is an expectation that the biggest savings will be to the Federally funded SNAP benefits, but as these benefits do not pass through State accounts, there would be no state savings. There will be an increase in costs for administering the drug screening and for additional drug testing, however the actual cost is unable to be determined at this time. The SNAP expenditures related to drug testing and screening would be split 50/50 to the General Fund and Federal Fund Food Supplement Administrative account. The separate State funded SNAP program, which is 100% state funded, would see benefit savings, but these savings are expected to be less than the new costs to the General Fund.
The Legislative and Executive Branches will incur additional General Fund costs associated with drug testing. The amount and timing of these costs cannot be determined at this time.