In 2013, the Texas Legislature passed a law allowing for the drug testing of certain out-of-work Texans applying for unemployment. Republicans say politics is the reason they haven’t been able to start the testing. They are waiting on the Trump administration to launch new federal guidelines on who the state is allowed to test.

Under Senate Bill 21, those who test positive would be ineligible to receive benefits for at least a month, until they passed another drug test. An applicant could also enroll in a treatment program to remain eligible for benefits within a week of receiving notice of a failed drug test.