Welfare drug-testing bill headed to Florida gov’s desk

[alp227]

Source: The Washington Independent

The Florida Senate approved Thursday a measure that will require all recipients of the state program Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) to pass a drug test before receiving benefits, reported Sunshine State News.

Proponents of the measure, sponsored by Sen. Steve Oelrich (R-Cross Creek), have said they want to prevent taxpayer dollars from going to drug use, while opponents have said the law is unjust and discriminatory. With overwhelming Republican support, the Senate approved the mandate for illegal-drug screening 26-11; Gov. Rick Scott is expected to sign the bill.

As The Florida Independent previously reported, Florida tried to drug-test welfare recipients 10 years ago, but a pilot program found it was a waste of money. This new proposal would requires TANF applicants to pay for the drug tests, but according to Sunshine State News, recipients who pass the drug test would be reimbursed for the cost of the test.

A February report (PDF) from the Center for Law and Social Policy found that legislative proposals to drug-test TANF recipients are based on stereotypes, not evidence.

Read more: http://washingtonindependent.com/109117/welfare-drug-testing-bill-headed-to-florida-govs-desk

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If such laws are "based on stereotypes, not evidence", how do these Republicans manage to get elected? (Click into the article for links to reports.)

[RKP5637]

1. I'm thinking all politicians should be drug tested weekly! n/t

[DumpDavisHogg]

2. Why aren't people rioting over this?

Honestly, this is one of the worst ideas the Rethugs have ever come up with.

[Ian David]

3. I'm in favor of this, provided they also test the lawmakers. n/t

[alp227]

4. oh, Rush Limbaugh lives in Florida, will he get annual tests too for tax cuts? n/t

[kestrel91316]

5. Fine with me as long as the lawmakers all get tested for the same things on the

same schedule, with the same or comparable consequences (loss of job, never again to work for the state, possible criminal prosecution).

[forty6]

6. Who put stupid juice into the drinking water in Florida?

The legislators are using it to mix the kool aid they are drinking.

[Dappleganger]

7. Looking forward to this blatant abuse of personal rights to be overturned in court.

[totodeinhere]

8. The courts have upheld pre-employment drug testing. How is this any different?

I do not favor drug testing anyone except for those in critical jobs such as airline pilots and I certainly oppose this bill in Florida. But I don't think that it's a slam dunk to be overturned by a court.

[askeptic]

10. employers different from gov't

Just what is it about receiving welfare benefits that justifies a suspicionless search? What safety protocols can they cite? This will be overturned if he signs...

[Yavin4]

9. Pandering to Bigoted Regressive, Racists Is the ONLY Way Republicans Know How To Govern

All of Florida's economic ills are because of welfare recipients getting welfare and buying drugs with it, and that's why you can't get a decent paying job, Billy Bob.

:sarcasm:

[Dark]

11. Sigh. So they want really poor people to spend even more money on unreliable tests.

If you get a false positive -- oops, you're fucked.

Most will just abstain until after the test and then continue. This is just another way to say "Fuck you" to poor people and drain the poor and the state's accounts.

/FYI, pot is a rather inexpensive method of entertainment than, say, hitting the bars or going to a movie.
//Also, WHERE ARE THE JOBS?!

[boppers]

13. They double test positives.

[unkachuck]

12. "...to pass a drug test before receiving benefits,..."

....this may set a good precedent....

....any person or corporation receiving a tax break, federal or state, must 'pass a drug test before receiving the tax break'

....any person or corporation doing business with the state of Florida must 'pass a drug test before receiving any contract'

....any person or corporation licensed for business within the state of Florida must 'pass a drug test before receiving a license'

....any person or corporation using public roads within the state of Florida must 'pass a drug test before traveling the public roads'

....any person or corporation owning property within the state of Florida must 'pass a drug test before receiving a deed or title'

....I like the idea....

[boppers]

14. Looks to be about a 10% cut, depending....

"Two studies, one in Michigan and one nationwide, have have found that roughly 10 percent of welfare recipients test positive for drugs, so if the bills pass, 90 percent of people seeking benefits would be non-drug users, but would still have their benefits reduced to pay for the tests. "

http://floridaindependent.com/27196/welfare-drug-testing

[DBoon]

15. Is poverty a crime now?

nt