Thursday, January 9, 2014
"If I was receiving any federal or state benefits to help raise my family, I'd be glad to take a drug test. I think that would be something that would be acceptable to me if I was receiving tax benefits. I work hard for my money. The federal government or the state government has a right, I think, to merely ask people who are receiving benefits through TANF to submit to a drug test so that we can identify if you're abusing a substance and then how we go about treating you for that.
—Gov. Phil Bryant on a proposal to require drug testing for people receiving federal and state benefits.
Why it stinks: What's the guv been smoking? The first problem is that Bryant's idea is possibly illegal. At least one federal judge, in Florida, has already said so. Second, it's unclear that there's the political appetite for it as the drug-testing legislation hasn't survived the committee process in recent years. Thirdly, as the Associated Press reporter who asked Bryant the question pointed out, TANF already has a work requirement. Since Bryant oversees the agency that administers TANF, if there are people receiving benefits who are not working, it's his administration that's not following the law.
Comments
Turtleread 10 years, 3 months ago
Why the statements by Governor Bryant do NOT make sense and are a bad idea both legally and economically for the State of Mississippi--(1) They violate the Federal Constitution as these people have committed no Federal or State crime, (2) they violate several Federal statues, (3) it exposes the State to legal liability, (4) it exposes the State to paying for these tests, which in other states have proved to be an expensive boondoggle for the politically connected, draining the funds from the program for tests that are little needed and catch few violators when widely and frequently used. Tests, selectively used, under certain circumstances could be effective, but "peeing into a cup" to get a check from the State should NOT be the normal, ordinary course of events! If we had drug-tested our last Governor, we certainly would have had a problem now, wouldn't we? He did a lot of late night drinking in the Mansion.
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