SB26 Summary

• Requires the Alabama Department of Public Health to design and implement a substance abuse screening program for adults applying for or receiving state-subsidized health care benefits, including initial testing and periodic annual testing via blood or urine samples.

• Makes adults ineligible for state-subsidized health care benefits if they fail to participate in the screening program, test positive for Schedule I controlled substances, or test positive for Schedule II-V controlled substances not prescribed to them.

• Allows ineligible adults to be rescreened after 12 months and regain eligibility for benefits if they pass the rescreen.

• Prohibits test results from being admissible in criminal proceedings without the tested person's consent and requires test costs to be added to the tested adult's portion of the premium.

• Exempts residents of nursing homes, penal facilities, mental health facilities, and other long-term care facilities from testing requirements; becomes effective on the first day of the third month following passage and approval.