Florida says, "Piss in a cup or no TANF for you!"
Last month checkpointme posted about a law in Florida that will require all recipients of welfare, WIC, and especially TANF to undergo mandatory drug testing to receive their benefits. At cost to already struggling applicant of course. Maybe to be reimbursed if/when they pass.
Well, Governor Rick Scott's gone and made it all nicely official like.
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(CNN) -- A controversial law requiring adults applying for welfare assistance to undergo drug screening has gone into effect in Florida.
Saying it is "unfair for Florida taxpayers to subsidize drug addiction," Gov. Rick Scott signed the legislation in June.
"It's the right thing for taxpayers," Scott said after signing the measure. "It's the right thing for citizens of this state that need public assistance. We don't want to waste tax dollars. And also, we want to give people an incentive to not use drugs."
Under the law, which went into effect on Friday, the Florida Department of Children and Family Services will be required to conduct the drug tests on adults applying to the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
The aid recipients would be responsible for the cost of the screening, which they would recoup in their assistance if they qualify.
Those who fail the required drug testing may designate another individual to receive the benefits on behalf of their children.
Shortly after the bill was signed, five Democrats from the state's congressional delegation issued a joint statement attacking the legislation, one calling it "downright unconstitutional."
And the ACLU has filed suit against the state for requiring all state workers to take a drug test and is considering suing the state for drug-testing welfare applicants.
Controversy over the measure was heightened by Scott's past association with a company he co-founded that operates walk-in urgent care clinics in Florida and counts drug screening among the services it provides.
In April, Scott, who had transferred his ownership interest in Solantic Corp. to a trust in his wife's name, said the company would not contract for state business, according to local media reports. He subsequently sold his majority stake in the company, local media reported.
On May 18, the Florida Ethics Commission ruled that two conflict-of-interest complaints against Scott were legally insufficient to warrant investigation, and adopted an opinion that no "prohibited conflict of interest" existed.
Florida is not the first state to pass such legislation. Michigan passed a similar law that the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals found unconstitutional in 2003 since it violated the U.S. Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens against unreasonable search.
The court said the law would set a dangerous precedent by allowing the government to conduct drug searches for the safety of the public without prior suspicion.
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It's cute that he's so determined to do this, but I guess he missed the part where it's already been deemed unconstitutional when Michigan tried to pull the same brand of asshattery and failed. And hey, what's that? He co-founded a clinic that seems to specialize in drug testing only to turn it over to a trust in his wife's name? Hrm..nope. That doesn't sound shady at all.
As always, don't read the comments. Something I should know well by now, but did it anyway. I can only sit here and imagine what something like this would do to those in their little crystal castles, and that CNWilkerson guy wanting it checked that, well here, he just irritated me. As liberal as I am, I completely agree with this. I believe that welfare should be in place for people that truly need help getting on their feet. It's not fair that some people use welfare funds inappropriately. So please, drug screen them, and while you are at it please check to make sure they aren't rolling around in an expensive car with a nice house. I wish the rest of the country would do these types of tests before handing out my tax dollars!
Yep, because those needing a little extra help to even survive, should only live in roach traps run by slum lords.
...I hate people sometimes.
Well, Governor Rick Scott's gone and made it all nicely official like.
----
(CNN) -- A controversial law requiring adults applying for welfare assistance to undergo drug screening has gone into effect in Florida.
Saying it is "unfair for Florida taxpayers to subsidize drug addiction," Gov. Rick Scott signed the legislation in June.
"It's the right thing for taxpayers," Scott said after signing the measure. "It's the right thing for citizens of this state that need public assistance. We don't want to waste tax dollars. And also, we want to give people an incentive to not use drugs."
Under the law, which went into effect on Friday, the Florida Department of Children and Family Services will be required to conduct the drug tests on adults applying to the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
The aid recipients would be responsible for the cost of the screening, which they would recoup in their assistance if they qualify.
Those who fail the required drug testing may designate another individual to receive the benefits on behalf of their children.
Shortly after the bill was signed, five Democrats from the state's congressional delegation issued a joint statement attacking the legislation, one calling it "downright unconstitutional."
And the ACLU has filed suit against the state for requiring all state workers to take a drug test and is considering suing the state for drug-testing welfare applicants.
Controversy over the measure was heightened by Scott's past association with a company he co-founded that operates walk-in urgent care clinics in Florida and counts drug screening among the services it provides.
In April, Scott, who had transferred his ownership interest in Solantic Corp. to a trust in his wife's name, said the company would not contract for state business, according to local media reports. He subsequently sold his majority stake in the company, local media reported.
On May 18, the Florida Ethics Commission ruled that two conflict-of-interest complaints against Scott were legally insufficient to warrant investigation, and adopted an opinion that no "prohibited conflict of interest" existed.
Florida is not the first state to pass such legislation. Michigan passed a similar law that the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals found unconstitutional in 2003 since it violated the U.S. Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens against unreasonable search.
The court said the law would set a dangerous precedent by allowing the government to conduct drug searches for the safety of the public without prior suspicion.
----
It's cute that he's so determined to do this, but I guess he missed the part where it's already been deemed unconstitutional when Michigan tried to pull the same brand of asshattery and failed. And hey, what's that? He co-founded a clinic that seems to specialize in drug testing only to turn it over to a trust in his wife's name? Hrm..nope. That doesn't sound shady at all.
As always, don't read the comments. Something I should know well by now, but did it anyway. I can only sit here and imagine what something like this would do to those in their little crystal castles, and that CNWilkerson guy wanting it checked that, well here, he just irritated me. As liberal as I am, I completely agree with this. I believe that welfare should be in place for people that truly need help getting on their feet. It's not fair that some people use welfare funds inappropriately. So please, drug screen them, and while you are at it please check to make sure they aren't rolling around in an expensive car with a nice house. I wish the rest of the country would do these types of tests before handing out my tax dollars!
Yep, because those needing a little extra help to even survive, should only live in roach traps run by slum lords.
...I hate people sometimes.