Texas may require mandatory steroid testing for all student athletes

The state of Texas has passed a bill that would require all high school student-athletes to undergo mandatory steroid testing. Once the governor signs the bill, and according to an Associated Press article, he has not expressed any opposition to it, it will become law:

Don Hooton of the Taylor Hooton Foundation – established to fight steroid abuse – is among those who testified before Texas state lawmakers in support of the legislation.

Hooton's foundation bears the name of the 17-year-old high school athlete son he lost in 2003 to a suicide believed caused by abuse of anabolic steroids.

In an interview with CBS News correspondent Hari Sreenivasan, Hooton says testing is the only deterrent that will work.

"They're not doing it to get high," says Hooton. "I am convinced that this intelligent group of kids, if they think there's a reasonable chance of getting caught, won't make the decision to use the steroids in the first place."

Steroid testing has been a major component of Republican Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's campaign to protect children. Athletes who test positive, or refuse to be tested, could be suspended from play. Athletes in all sports, from football to wrestling to tennis, could be tested.

"I made steroid testing of high school athletes a priority this session because I believe it will deter young people from putting that poison in their bodies and save lives all across Texas," Dewhurst said.

The House of Representatives voted 140-4 to send the bill to Perry.