Thursday, June 9, 2011

Florida Governor defends measure requiring drug tests for welfare-CNN

Governor defends welfare drug testsGov. Rick Scott: "we should not," said people's drug use "measure takes effect July 1 ACLU Florida says it may sue over legislation

(CNN) --Florida Gov. Rick Scott on Sunday defended the recent law requiring adults applying for welfare assistance to undergo drug screenings, said the law gives "personal responsibility."

"It is not the right of taxpayers ' money to pay for somebody's drug addiction," says Scott to CNN's T.J. Holmes on Sunday. "That this will increase the personal responsibility and personal responsibility. We should not subsidize people's drug addiction. "

But the ACLU of Florida, which has already filed suit against Scott over an operation that requires government employees to undergo random drug testing, disagrees and can sue over welfare law and.

"What do (Scott) gives legitimacy to the ugly an unfortunate stereotype that has been in the country in a couple of decades--that all welfare recipients are a gang of drug users," said Howard Simon, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida.

Scott told CNN he would ensure that welfare funding goes to their primary goal--to help disadvantaged children--and give people an incentive to not use drugs. He wrote that on 1 June, calling it the "right to the taxpayers."

According to the law which comes into force on 1 July, the Florida Department of children and family services that may need to carry out drug tests on adults for the Federal temporary assistance to needy families program. The beneficiaries would be responsible for the costs of screening, they would make up for in their assistance if they meet the requirements.

Those who fail required drug test may appoint another person to gain benefits for their children, and must not grant for the test.

Shortly after the Bill was signed, issued five Democrats from the State's Congressional delegation in a joint statement which attacks the legislation, calling it "downright unconstitutional."

-Governor Scott's new drug testing laws is not only an affront to families in need and harmful to our nation is ongoing economic recovery, it is downright unconstitutional, "said Rep. Alcee Hastings. "If the Governor Scott to drug test TANF recipients of benefits, where he draws the line? Families receive Medicaid, state emergency assistance, and educational grants and loans next? "

-I work for the ACLU and our task is to prevent the tread on the constitutional rights of people, "Simon said. The Constitution provides that searches cannot be done without probable cause, "he said.

Controversy about the action was heightened by Scott's past association with a company he founded which operates walk-in urgent care clinics in Florida and counter drug screening among the services it provides. In April, "said Scott, who had relinquished its ownership of the Solantic Corp. to a trust in his wife's name, the company would not enter into agreements on State enterprises, according to local media reports.

Asked if the company Sunday, said Scott he is about to sell his family's interest in the company and "it will be sold in a few weeks." There is no conflict of interest, "he said.

On 18 may, the Florida Ethics Commission that two of the conflicts of complaint against Scott was legally insufficient to justify investigation and issued an opinion that no "prohibited conflict of interest" existed.

If the operation that requires civil servants to undergo drug testing, Simon noted that public employees--employees of the city, County, State and Federal Government--are protected by the Constitution and should not undergo "intrusive" drug test without probable cause to believe a person uses drugs.

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