Four years ago, in 2003, a federal appeals court ruled that Michigan’s sweeping drug-testing program for welfare recipients was unconstitutional. Nonetheless, a group of about six dozen Pennsylvania lawmakers — including five Republicans from Lancaster County — have signed on to a new House bill that would require people who want public assistance benefits to pass a drug test and be fingerprinted — pretty much the same thing Michigan’s now-struck-down law did. Rep. Steven W. Capelli, a Republican from Williamsport, unveiled the legislation earlier this month. The Sun-Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote about it.

The local lawmakers behind it are Reps. John Bear, Bryan Cutler, Gordon Denlinger, David Hickernell and Katie True.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which successfully sued to stop the Michigan program, keeps track of such efforts, and found:

• New York and Maryland originally intended to require random drug testing for those receiving welfare. They discarded their drug testing plans after finding that a program of questionnaires is more cost-effective.
• Louisiana passed a law in 1997 requiring drug testing for welfare recipients. However, a task force set up to implement the law decided that more limited drug testing of individuals identified by a questionnaire is more cost-effective than mandatory drug testing.
• Certain counties in Oregon experimented with drug testing on some welfare recipients. The process was halted when it was found that drug testing was less effective in identifying drug abuse than through less invasive methods.
• Alabama decided against drug testing because it found that focusing on job training programs was a more effective method of moving individuals off of welfare.
• Iowa decided against drug testing welfare recipients since it could not include a test for alcohol abuse, which is more prevalent than illicit drug abuse. The state found other methods to be more cost-effective.