Accountability in Unemployment Act of 2015

Bill: 114-hr-1136
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Pearce, Stevan [R-NM-2]
Introduced: 2015-02-26
Policy area: Labor and Employment
Subjects: Drug, alcohol, tobacco use

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Unemployment
Latest action: action_date: 2015-03-27
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2015-02-26
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Accountability in Unemployment Act of 2015 </b></p> <p> Amends title III (Grants to States for Unemployment Compensation) of the Social Security Act to require state laws to deny unemployment compensation to applicants unless they undergo drug testing and test negative.</p> <p>Requires a retest after a 30-day waiting period for applicants who test positive for any one of several specified drugs.</p> <p>Denies unemployment compensation for five years to any applicant who tests positive for drugs three or more times.</p>

tv_txt: I 114th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1136 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 26, 2015 Mr. Pearce (for himself, Mr. Harris , Mr. Rokita , Mr. Babin , Mr. Gosar , Mr. Roe of Tennessee , Mr. LaMalfa , and Mr. Carter of Texas ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means A BILL To amend title III of the Social Security Act to require States to implement a drug testing program for applicants for and recipients of unemployment compensation.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Accountability in Unemployment Act of 2015 . 2. Drug testing program for applicants for and recipients of unemployment compensation (a) In general Section 303(l) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 503 )(l)) is amended to read as follows: (l) (1) For purposes of subsection (a), the law of a State shall provide that no regular compensation may be paid to an individual unless— (A) the individual is tested for the use of the drugs listed in paragraph (3)(A)— (i) if the individual has applied for such compensation and the application has not been approved, before the receipt of such compensation; and (ii) in any other case, before the end of the 3-month period that begins on the date of the enactment of this subsection; and (B) the individual tests negative for the use of such drugs or, in the case of an individual who tests positive for the use of such drugs, the individual meets the requirements of paragraph (2). (2) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), if an individual tests positive pursuant to paragraph (1) for the use of any drug listed in paragraph (3)(A), no regular compensation may be paid to the individual unless— (i) a 30-day period has elapsed since the results of the test were determined; and (ii) the individual tests negative for the use of each drug listed in paragraph (3)(A) at the end of such period. (B) If an individual tests positive pursuant to paragraph (1) for the use of any drug listed in paragraph (3)(A) three or more times (whether for the same or a different drug), no regular compensation may be paid to the individual unless— (i) a 5-year period has elapsed since the results of the last test were determined; and (ii) the individual tests negative for the use of each drug listed in paragraph (3)(A) at the end of such period. (3) (A) In conducting drug testing pursuant to paragraph (1), the State shall test for each of the following: (i) Marijuana. (ii) Cocaine. (iii) Opiates. (iv) Amphetamines. (v) Methamphetamine. (vi) Phencyclidine. (vii) Heroin. (viii) Lysergic acid diethyliamide. (ix) 3,4-methylenedioxy amphetamine. (B) A positive test for a drug listed in subparagraph (A) shall be treated as a negative test for purposes of this subsection if such drug was used pursuant to a valid prescription or as otherwise authorized by State or Federal law. (4) The State shall require each individual who is tested pursuant to paragraph (1) to pay the portion of the cost of the drug testing that pertains to such individual. If such individual tests negative for the use of each drug listed in paragraph (3)(A) and the State provides regular compensation to the individual, the State shall increase the first payment of such compensation in an amount equal to the amount paid by the individual under this paragraph for the drug testing. (5) In this subsection, the term regular compensation has the meaning given such term in section 205 of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 ( 26 U.S.C. 3304 note). . (b) Effective date The amendment made by this section shall take effect 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.