ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
People applying for welfare in Georgia will have to pass a drug test before receiving benefits. Gov. Nathan Deal signed the controversial bill into law Monday.
"The basic premise is people who are receiving taxpayers money should be clean," said Deal
Deal signed House Bill 861, requiring parents to have to pass a drug test before receiving benefits. The law was created to make sure money going to low-income families with kids actually gets to the kids.
"The intention, of course, is to try to make sure we're not spending taxpayers money for things that were not intended, namely to support someone's drug habit," said Deal.
Under the law, if someone fails the drug test, they have to wait a month and take another test.
They are ineligible for benefits for 3-months after a second failure and the third time, a person will have to wait a year to re-apply for benefits.
"To do this was punitive and unconstitutional," said Debbie Seagraves, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Seagraves believes the law violates people's rights and unfairly targets people who have fallen on hard economic times.
"It's patently unconstitutional to conduct suspicion-less searches on people just because they are applying for public benefits," said Seagraves.
Taxpayers are split on the law.
"It's just like saying that whoever's on welfare is doing drugs or has something to hide, so it's placing a stigmatism on there that shouldn't be there," said taxpayer Shonte Henderson.
"I know we should help the people but I think they need to have a drug test because people out there are using the opportunity the wrong way," said Aysen Maney.
Florida has been sued over a similar law but Deal thinks this one will stand in court.
"I think the intention is good and hopefully the implementation process is workable," said Deal.
The state of Georgia could face a lawsuit. Kathryn Hamoudah with the Southern Center for Human Rights said, "This legislation faces numerous obstacles before implementation, and if implemented, there will be litigation to face."
The law goes into effect July 1.
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