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Wednesday, December 06, 2017

Walker Moving Ahead with Plan to Drug Test Food Stamp Users

Gov. Scott Walker moved ahead Monday with his plans to make Wisconsin the first state to drug test able-bodied adults applying for food stamps, a move blocked by the federal government or found to be unconstitutional when other states have tried.

Wisconsin's plan was approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature more than two years ago, but it languished because it conflicts with federal rules prohibiting states from imposing additional eligibility criteria on food stamp recipients.

Florida had a drug test requirement for food stamp recipients that a federal appeals court blocked in 2014, finding it violated constitutional protections against unreasonable searches. Walker filed a federal lawsuit in 2015 seeking approval to test food stamp applicants, but it was rejected because then-President Barack Obama's administration had not yet formally rejected the state's request to do the testing.

Walker asked then-President elect Donald Trump's administration in December 2016 to make clear that drug screening is permissible, but it has not taken action and now Walker is moving ahead anyway.

More here

6 comments:

Steve said...

Keyword, :Unreasonable".

For the citizenry of a State or Country to provide the less fortunate with their own hard earned monies in provision of food and/ or shelter to the less fortunate can certainly come with strings attached! Asking for these handouts should come with showing reasonable need for them including showing the State or Country that their lack of fortune is not self inflicted or curable.

Showing an inability to walk should qualify one for a wheelchair.

Showing an inability to hold a job due to incurable disability should qualify one for food and shelter help.

Showing an inability to hold a job because of drug addiction or staying drunk all the time should disqualify one from help with food or shelter.

Anonymous said...

I'm conflicted on this.

On one hand, don't give free money to people who buy drugs, because clearly they can get money.

On the other hand, some of these cretins have kids, and it's not the kids fault their parent is a horrible human... don't starve the children.

I DO think it falls in a hazy area of unreasonable search... approving this may set bad invasion of privacy precedent for a whole host of things.

I think this is a really nuanced topic... I don't think it is so clear.

Anonymous said...

Going to be stopped

Anonymous said...

Good long overdue legislation. Needs to be done across the USA. Just like carry/conceal!

Anonymous said...

Was tried in a few states and ended up cost too much to cut off too few. Just like all the money spent on DUI checkpoints to catch a couple people.

Anonymous said...

I like the concept. Unfortunately the implementation would be cost prohibited. Then, do you allow alcohol and pot but not opiods and coke? Also, the kids of these people would really be ones suffering.