Senate passes Candidate Voluntary Drug Testing Bill
Contributed by S.C. Senate

The S.C. Senate passed the Candidate Voluntary Drug Testing Program (S.1070). The bill, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Sen. Harvey Peeler (RCherokee), provides guidelines for candidates to follow when submitting the results of a drug test with their candidate filing papers. The State Election Commission will publish the candidates full name, the office sought, and the results of the test on its website, which will be available 30 days prior to the election and remain on the website for 90 days after the election.

Prior to final passage of the bill, Senator Peeler offered a clarifying amendment that requires the testing be done by a physician and through a laboratory certified under the National Laboratory Certification Program to be considered valid. The drug test must screen for illegal substances commonly screened for individuals who perform safety sensitive functions for exam- ple commercial drivers.

The bill will now be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.