Fla. to require drug tests of welfare applicants

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Welfare applicants in Florida will have to undergo drug testing under a bill signed by Gov. Rick Scott.

Scott signed the bill Tuesday in Panama City along with another measure that bans the designer drug MDPV or "bath salts."

The drug testing bill was a priority for Scott. It will require anyone applying for temporary government assistance to pass the test before receiving benefits.

Applicants will have to pay for the tests themselves and will be reimbursed if they pass.

The law is expected to be quickly challenged. A similar Michigan law passed in 1999 that required random drug testing of Welfare recipients lasted five weeks in 1999 before it was stopped by a judge. An appeals court ruled it unconstitutional after a four-year legal battle.

Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida is suing Scott over ordering a new law requiring drug testing for all state employees, regardless of suspicion.

The ACLU says the measure is an overreach of the Republican governor's powers and intrudes into employees' private lives. Scott's order expands drug testing to all employees, not just those who drive, carry weapons or deal with children.

Scott's office defends the measure as a way to make sure the state is paying for a healthy and productive workforce. Spokeswoman Amy Graham says they are confident it will be upheld by the courts.

Alma Gonzalez, an employee for the state employees' union, says testing will cost millions at a time of severe budget cuts.

[pbjam]

I don't want to hear whining about drug testing. My husband is subject to random drug tests in order to keep his job. It's only fair to the rest of us who work for a living and don't get a free ride, only to get taxes sucked out of us to support people who don't give a rat's a$$ about being accountable for their actions. And don't cry to me about reproductive rights...if you can't take care of the children you have, you shouldn't have any more, especially on MY tax nickel!

[fraggle369]

You are an ignorant messed up person if you think that recieving help from the government is a free ride, it may be for some people and that is prob why you think that Thier are people who are disabled and need assistance because they cant work anymore, they cant take care of their kids anymore because something happened to them. They had worked many years before this happened contributing to society until they needed help, stop being so close minded and think of somebody other than yourself for a change.

[AngelaBuchan]

This does not cover gamblers.
Some drugs stay in a persons system for only 2 days, others months.
Alcohol is a government legalized drug, making this slightly ironic.
Is help/treatment programs being offered to those who need/ want to quit before they receive welfare?

[roseofnuevo]

All I can say is hooray for Florida. I worked for FSSA for years with the welfare recipients and believe me, most sat back and collected for their kids, sold their food stamps and used their TANF money for drugs. I think it would be wonderful if all states adopted this law and just maybe some of these lazy takers would get out there and get a job or at least, we who work wouldn't be paying for their drugs, booze and popping out babies every tiime you turn around. Again, thank you Florida...I hope this is just the first of many states to follow. Next, do something about the illegals getting all these freebies.

[fraggle369]

congrats you are an ignorant *********

[jeffreypgabel]

The left has been stacking the courts against common sense for decades. It only makes sense to test people that are getting a handout from the over taxed public that actually works for a living.
And I have to undergo drug testing in my job, it doesn't scare me a bit. Drug users shouldn't be employed by the people and the people shouldn't have to fight the courts stuffed with lefty commies to do it.

[fraggle369]

wow a handout everybody is in this catagory you say, are you a racist too? wouldn't suprise me

[badgrammr]

I wish Florida would drug-screen its politicians. This guy is on meth just look at those crazy eyes.

[fraggle369]

lol i like ya ")

[thompsb2011]

Sadly our nation has pandered to and supported the use of illicit drugs, promoted the use of drugs to control our children and taken the power of parenting out of the hands of responsible parents. If "Johnny" acts out give him drugs... everything is given a pill... we support illegal immigration, fill our jails and communty colleges with with criminals and oh yes you the tax payer are giving up more and more to support the parasites. It is time, long over due to make the parasites responsible for their actions and not being on illegal drugs is a good step forward. Our social welfare system is destroying this nation as fast as the politicians take office and the illegals over run our boarders.

I do not know about the rest of the country but I am sick of the abuse by the parasites and politicians...

[fraggle369]

your a parasite living of the greed and hate that people have created over time

[shutlles1]

I hope they include all the alcoholics, cigarette smokers & pill popping mothers!!

Those are all drugs too!!

If your going to take that step, make it a big one!

[kimba463]

whoops, didn't mean to post this twice.

[kimba463]

Most (the key word here is most) of the comments here are valid and I can see both sides to this argument however, for those of you who say "let them drug test, and then the "druggies" wont be getting MY tax dollars to buy their "illegal" drugs" please consider this: Where will the "druggies" get their money? If they fail a drug test for welfare, they will surely fail a drug test for employment. Then what? What do you think will happen to the crime rate? How 'bout if the "druggies" just break into your house and steal your money instead of you giving them your tax dollars? Oh, I know, lets put them in jail... believe it or not, there are waiting lists for people to serve time for drug related offenses. That's not going to work, since 1992, approximately six million Americans have been arrested on marijuana charges, a greater number than the entire populations of Alaska, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming combined. Annual marijuana arrests have more than doubled in that time. Who's paying for this? Hello taxpayers!! Gee, I wonder if that number will go up or down with the new law enacted??? You figure it out.
As for the person who says "Birth control is the answer to poverty..." Hey, I know, let's require mandatory temporary sterilization for welfare recipients. Give me a break, any intelligent person knows that when you grant people the power to decide who gets what, corruption infiltrates EVERY time.
Hmmm, to spartan1872: You've got to be kidding me, have you ever been on welfare? The people with "the best cars the best led tv's the best rims and stereos and a mouth full of gold and lotto everyday" are not being paid with our tax dollars, they are being paid by people that want "drugs"... Any welfare recipient that I've ever met has had a crap car, bad teeth and rented slumlord dump to live in. There is NO easy answer to this problem and mandatory testing is only going to cost the taxpayers MORE money because I can tell you right now that the "druggies" that fail the test are going to get their money ANY WAY THEY CAN.

[fraggle369]

Thank you

[kimba463]

Most (the key word here is most) of the comments here are valid and I can see both sides to this argument however, for those of you who say "let them drug test, and then the "druggies" wont be getting MY tax dollars to buy their "illegal" drugs" please consider this: Where will the "druggies" get their money? If they fail a drug test for welfare, they will surely fail a drug test for employment. Then what? What do you think will happen to the crime rate? How 'bout if the "druggies" just break into your house and steal your money instead of you giving them your tax dollars? Oh, I know, lets put them in jail... believe it or not, there are waiting lists for people to serve time for drug related offenses. That's not going to work, since 1992, approximately six million Americans have been arrested on marijuana charges, a greater number than the entire populations of Alaska, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming combined. Annual marijuana arrests have more than doubled in that time. Who's paying for this? Hello taxpayers!! Gee, I wonder if that number will go up or down with the new law enacted??? You figure it out.
As for the person who says "Birth control is the answer to poverty..." Hey, I know, let's require mandatory temporary sterilization for welfare recipients. Give me a break, any intelligent person knows that when you grant people the power to decide who gets what, corruption infiltrates EVERY time.
Hmmm, to spartan1872: You've got to be kidding me, have you ever been on welfare? The people with "the best cars the best led tv's the best rims and stereos and a mouth full of gold and lotto everyday" are not being paid with our tax dollars, they are being paid by people that want "drugs"... Any welfare recipient that I've ever met has had a crap car, bad teeth and rented slumlord dump to live in. There is NO easy answer to this problem and mandatory testing is only going to cost the taxpayers MORE money because I can tell you right now that the "druggies" that fail the test are going to get their money ANY WAY THEY CAN.

[Spice54]

So, the answer is 'do nothing'? Or do nothing because it will be worse if druggies have to get their own money instead of spending mine. Personally, the problem is drug users. It doesn't matter if I paid for their drugs or they robbed you or me, they are still the problem. If they commit more crimes (remember, the drug use we are talking about is already one crime.) then yes, we lock them up and offer drug rehab if we are compassionate and very patient. Or we make 'three times and your out' a mandatory execution. No, that will not prevent people from committing crimes, but it will limit how many crimes they can commit and does make their expense to society limited. This is what mother nature calls 'natural selection'.