Florida Lawmakers Require Drug Tests For Welfare Recipients

[Purveyor]

A bill that would require all Florida welfare recipients to pass a drug test is on its way to the governor's mansion, where it is expected to be signed into law immediately.

Fla. lawmakers passed the bill Thursday, buoyed by strong support from Republicans and Gov. Rick Scott, who's called it one of his "top priorities" as governor.

The legislation would also require welfare applicants to pay for their own drug tests. Urine analysis screenings can cost between $30-$80. Around 60,000 people would be affected, according to earlier reports.

The state said it will reimburse welfare recipients who pass the tests, but a failure will disqualify them for benefits for up to a year. A second failure will disqualify them for up to three years.

MORE...

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/06/fla-lawmakers-require-drug-tests-for-welfare-recipients/

[BlueIris]

1. Disqualification for ONE YEAR?

The requirement is bad enough, but one failure keeping someone out of the program for a year is insane.

[bigdarryl]

2. Won't stand up in court

[Ter]

3. Don't do drugs, then no worries

If you want to do drugs, then get off welfare. Sounds good to me.

[Arkansas Granny]

5. Are you aware that 5% to 10% of drug test show false positive results?

So a person who doesn't do drugs is required to pay for the initial drug test to qualify for benefits and comes up with a false positive. He/she doesn't get reimbursed for the test and loses benefits for a year. Does that still sound good to you?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/06/01/health/webmd/main6537635.shtml

Edit to add link.

[Ter]

6. No I wasn't

That is terrible, I always thought they were something like 99.99% accurate.

[Yavin4]

13. Also, The State Has A Strong Interest In Seeing A Certain Percentage of False Positives

What other, more effective way is there for cutting people off welfare instantaneously.

[Thumper79]

16. A great book about this is "Ur-ine Trouble."

No joke. Funny title, but very good book.

[PatSeg]

14. Also $30-$80 upfront is a lot of money

for someone on welfare. For some people, it could be an extreme hardship.

[ShadowLiberal]

4. Conservatives hate big government, except when they use it to screw over the poor & middle class

The fact that conservatives scream their heads off about evil 'big government' makes this even more outrageous.

And what if a poor person happens to have a prescription medication that makes them fail the test because Scott's cronies are too busy trying to screw over the poor & save the state money to be fair when giving test results.

[jbnow]

7. He's doing random drug tests on all state employees too, by executive order

Public pressure didn't phase him but a formal ethics complaint made him sell off the health clinics he owned that does the testing...
but no ban on them contracting with state.
Anyone else think he will profit?

Don't forget repub senators like Hatch have tried to make it mandatory for people getting extended unemployment because hey, must be drugs that cause the lack of available jobs.

[rasputin1952]

8. This will go through the courts...

Since most of the cash for these programs comes from the federal government, there will be a lot of wrangling about this. I think it will be found unconstitutional in the end, I'm almost positive a federal court will ban this practice if it becomes law. It is a blatant violation of Civil Rights, and it is a cruel act that will add more destitution. The fear of a lack of a meal will not deter hard core drug use...but children will go hungry because some morons think this is a huge problem when it's minuscule at best.

[greymattermom]

9. next thing is beggars

in all the tourist areas
want your hair braided?
just to to Florida instead of Jamaica
great for the state economy....

[Drix]

10. Why not drug test

People who receive tax breaks, subsidies, accept campaign contributions, etc.

[Honeycombe8]

11. That really sucks. I hate to hear that. Really poor people forced to wait for aid...

while they schedule a drug test and then have to wait for results.

These people are just heartless.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Thumper79]

15. Doesn't this violate the 4th Amendment?