FL Committee OKs Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients (recipients would pay for their own tests) [View All]

[The Straight Story]

Committee OKs Drug Testing Of Welfare Recipients

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Welfare recipients would pay for their own drug testing and come up clean before before receiving financial assistance under a bill that passed a House committee on Thursday.

Backers said the requirement would send a tough but needed message to substance abusers who use taxpayer money to feed their addiction instead of their families.

"The testing would keep the state assistance program from being abused," Gov. Rick Scott said support of the bill. "The testing is the right thing to do."

The House Judiciary Committee voted 13-5 to approve HB 353, which would deny benefits to recipients of financial assistance for at least one year if they fail a drug test. A second failed test would kick them off the assistance rolls for three years.

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