The proposed bill, SB1590, mandates the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to establish and enforce policies for conducting random quarterly drug screenings of employees at group foster homes. Under the new provisions, employees must undergo an initial drug screening before having any contact with children in the home. Additionally, if an employee is involved in an incident where a child is injured, DCS is authorized to conduct further random drug screenings. Group foster homes are required to report the results of these screenings to DCS within 48 hours.

This bill introduces specific requirements for drug screening that are not present in current law, which only allows for testing based on reasonable suspicion. The new legislation emphasizes the importance of maintaining a drug-free environment in group foster homes by implementing regular screenings and ensuring that employees do not interact with children until they have passed their initial screening.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-530.06
Senate Engrossed Version: 8-530.06