Governor Scott Suspends Drug Testing State Workers, but Not Welfare Recipients
You may remember Governor Rick Scott signed a law (effective July 1) mandating that all applicants for state employment be drug tested as well as random drug screening of current state employees. The ACLU of Florida won its lawsuit against Scott claiming the law is unconstitutional.
In its lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Miami in May, the group [ACLU] said no court has upheld drug tests of government employees without a reason – such as suspicions of drug use or an employee working in a job that might endanger the public if he or she were impaired – and that random testing by the government violated the Fourth Amendment ban against unreasonable searches.
Floridians were also angered about the costs incurred by the state for drug testing when there is little money to go around.
Said [Howard] Simon [of the ACLU] in his statement: “It’s also ironic that he is now citing cost as a reason for this delay when everyone knew his illegal order was going to cost taxpayers millions of dollars from the start. It’s also inconsistent with the Governor’s previous statements that he will take this challenge to Supreme Court which would expose taxpayers to even more large legal costs to defend his indefensible order.”
Drug testing of welfare recipients is still set to begin, but the ACLU may bring suit against the Governor, as well.
Stay tuned.
