Oneida County Legislator Ken Fort petitions New York state for mandatory welfare drug testing
County Legislator Ken Fort, D-1, is asking state representatives to revamp the Social Services Law to provide for drug testing of public assistance recipients.
“One of the most consistent and heartily repeated complaints that I hear is with regard to the fact that public assistance recipients are not required to pass any form of drug testing,” Fort said. “The growing problem of heroin use only escalates these complaints. Many taxpayers work in businesses that require them to pass drug tests. I agree with my constituents who do not feel that their hard-earned money which constitutes tax dollars should be provided to hard-core drug abusers to support drug habits.”
In a letter to Board Chairman Gerald Fiorini and the members of the board, Fort reminded colleagues that Oneida County and all of New York state is experiencing increased levels of opiate and heroin use.
“This memorializing petition may assist in finding addicts and getting them the treatment they and their family need,” he said. “The 11 heroin-related bills passed by the Legislature just as the 2014 session ended include provisions requiring insurance companies to consistently cover treatment for addiction. As county leaders, we should take action to follow through on the education of treatment options; urging our state representatives to enact legislation that increases the opportunity to encourage such treatment is one avenue we can pursue.”
Fort said legal research determined the effort to implement testing cannot be accomplished at the local level.
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The aclu will have a lawsuit in the courts before the ink is dry
ReplyDeleteIt is mandatory in Maryland for all convicted felons to be drug tested randomly to keep their food stamps. It is mandatory also for the cash program that one of the first steps is to see a drug councilor to be accessed. However, they can manage to pass it the first time and then go back to their drug of choice. They also need to be drug tested randomly. The system needs to be fixed with more frequent drug testing. The food stamp program is a joke. The selections of food bought BY the TAXPAYERS should be limited to certain items like WIC has set up. Low fat everything, no sweets, no sodas and just bologna and peanut butter and jelly for school lunches. Opps! I forgot. They get free lunches for their kids as well as breakfast.
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