I get ideas for bills from lots of places – community meetings, advocacy groups, newspapers and magazines. 

 Yesterday, the New York Times ran a story that failed to mention a bill that I’ve already passed.

 “States Adding Drug Test as Hurdle for Welfare” read the front-page headline. 

 Legislation requiring applicants for welfare to take a test for drugs before they can receive assistance was introduced in 36 states this year. 

 We’ve been doing that in Maryland since 2002 – with one very big difference.  If someone tests positive, they are offered drug treatment. 

 A Republican State Senator and my co-chair of the Joint Committee on Welfare Reform, Marty Madden, suggested that we do this.  After the initial outcry, we worked with the public health community to devise procedures that make it more likely that an individual will acknowledge an addiction and successfully participate in treatment.   

 In a typical year, 39,020 people were screened; 1,782 were already in treatment;  1,760 were referred for treatment; and 222 were denied assistance because they didn’t comply.

 I could write the Times about it, but it’s not likely to get published. 

 I’ll settle for spreading the word here and the satisfaction that in Maryland, we’re doing it the right way. 

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 My thanks to those of you who responded so positively to the idea of scholarships for high school students who commit to teaching in our public schools for four years. 

 We will be incorporating some of your ideas in the bill draft.