Florida Law: Drug Testing for Welfare Applicants Introduction The state of Florida recently passed a law, effective July 1, 2011, requiring the Florida Department of Children and Family Services to administer drug tests to all new applicants to the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. According to the law, applicants are responsible for the cost of the drug screening. This cost will be reimbursed if the applicant passes the drug test. According to the law, applicants who fail the drug test can designate another individual to receive the benefits on behalf of the applicant’s children. All applicants who fail the drug test will not be able to reapply for TANF for one year. Applicants who successfully complete an abuse treatment program may reapply in six months (Staff). Lane Wright, a spokesman for Florida Governor Rick Scott’s office, said the purpose of the law is to “make sure that taxpayer money isn’t subsidizing somebody’s drug habit and to make sure the money is going to [the] children to whom it was intended” (Kennedy). The new law has been in effect for three months and has so far been met with opposition and conflict. This paper discusses (1) the historical context of TANF in federal and state programs, (2) the main stakeholders concerned with the new drug-testing policy, (3) the events surrounding the new policy in Florida, and (4) key points to consider in an evaluation of the policy. Historical Context To understand the historical context of drug testing welfare recipients, it is important to consider first, how the law fits in a federal framework, and second, how states have adopted and interpreted federal policy. Federal History Knowing the historical context of federal welfa... ... middle of paper ... ...ment with federal constitutional rights will be difficult, but it is necessary. Conclusion The main purpose of TANF is to provide assistance to families by moving providers from welfare to work. While the supporters of Florida’s welfare drug-testing law understand the need to provide this assistance, they are also concerned about utilizing taxpayer funds properly. There is concern that requiring such drug testing for needy families is unconstitutional. This belief is supported by the outcomes in other states regarding similar policies. This policy is a main subject of debate in Florida, and it has created interest among legislatures, special interest groups, and citizens across the country. Because this policy is still new, further evaluation is needed to determine the repercussions of the law in terms of its practice, cost-benefit, and constitutionality.
There is an ongoing debate over whether or not welfare recipients should be drug tested to receive the benefits. Both sides of the argument have merit. Those who oppose the idea of drug testing say that it is unconstitutional and violates the Fourth Amendment. Furthermore, they claim that this law stereotypes and discriminates against those from low socioeconomic demographics, implying that because they are poor, they must be drug addicts. However, those who support the law note that its intended
Drug use now in days has grown more over these past years, with the abuse of drugs many people still have the privilege to apply freely to the welfare programs such as WIC, Food Stamps, and TANF. My interest to this topic is why it would be unconstitutional to be able to do a drug testing on welfare applicants. I believe that if the government has a lot of power; why is that they cannot approve for drug test and make it constitutional. Although I completely understand that it would break the fourth
There is an ongoing debate over whether or not Welfare recipients should be drug tested to receive the benefits. The lines of reasoning from both sides of this argument have unambiguous points. Those who oppose the idea of drug testing say that it is unconstitutional, and violates the Fourth Amendment. Furthermore, they claim that this law stereotypes and discriminates against the poor , implying that because they are poor, they must be drug addicts. However, individuals that support the law,
who abuse their welfare benefits? The public assistance programs that were created in the United States of America during the 1930’s to provide a safety net for people living below the federal poverty line are being manipulated. Chemical dependency screenings and monthly account audits are currently needed to prevent wasteful spending to support welfare recipients who are using their benefits to purchase illegal drugs and alcohol. I believe drug testing applicants who apply for welfare should become
for unnecessary things like drugs they stepped in. Now that people who want to apply for assistance or continue with it they are required to do a drug test/drug screening test. Some of those people think it is irrelevant to do so. So it comes down to this one question, should people who are getting assistance or want to be on assistance be drug tested? The law requires random testing of anyone who has had a felony drug conviction in the previous 10 years. For failing a drug test once, a recipient’s
Some people abuse kids, some people abuse drugs, but the worst kind of people abuse welfare. The definition of welfare is the statutory procedure or social effort designed to promote the basic physical and material well being of people in need. Meaning the government gives this money to people in need for their daily basic necessities. The idea of welfare started during the great depression, then Franklin D. Roosevelt passed the social security act, which established a number of programs designed
Introduction What is TANF? The Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program was created under the 1996 welfare reform law known as the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (Falk, 2014). TANF is funded by a $16.5 billion-per-year basic federal block grant. Each state is also required to contribute at least $10.4 billion under a maintenance-of-effort (MOE) requirement (Schott, 2012). TANF’s primary purpose is to fund a wide range of benefits and services for low-income
to an article, “drug use in the workplace has been linked to low productivity, high absenteeism and increases in the number of workplace accidents (Jeanty, n.d., ¶ 1). Yet, drug screening employees and benefit recipients have become a discussion of privacy invasion and the Fourth Amendment. Many would argue on the basis of defamation from their employers and how they have been singled out from the rest of the employees. The government attempted to cease the use of illegal drugs in the workplace
senate that would require drug testing for those receiving state Temporary Assistance for Needy Family (TANF) funds. Funding from food stamps, medicare, and public housing would not be affected by this bill (Keller – House). According to Columbia Tribune reporter Rudi Keller, the bill is very similar to the Arizona law which is the only other state that tests welfare recipients. Missouri and Arizona would use a questionare and interview which would determine which applicants to test. The two states
way.” Change in the welfare system is a must now more than ever because the government is in such a bad economic state, and it must and should be ensured that the tax payers know exactly where their money is going once those welfare checks are administered. Drug testing is a top priority in welfare reform and it should be; tax payers’ money should not be used for the purchase of illegal substances. The state of Texas and the United States face problems with misuse of welfare funds and there must
There has been an ongoing controversy as to whether welfare recipients should have to have drug testing done. Drug testing will ensure that recipients will not abuse the money they’re given by the government. Having people on welfare take drug test is advantageous because it could save the system money, it would help social workers identify children who are around drug abuse, and it would deter people from purchasing and using illegal drugs; however, it does have a downside such as people who are
The Ethics of Welfare Reform On a fundamental level, welfare is the aid provided for those in need in the form of money or necessities. The six most common forms of welfare include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Food Stamp Program (FSP), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicaid, housing assistance, and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC); these programs supply the most essential needs of citizens who live without them. In the ethical regard, welfare promotes economic consistency
abuse that help that is giving. Many American families in the United State who apply for welfare; dishonestly apply and use the aid for other uses besides what it is intended for. From personal experience, growing up in Texas with my mother being a single parent, the government assistance was needed. Recently the state of Florida passed a law that would require applicants who are applying for welfare to undergo a drug test. A similar was passed couple of years ago in the state of Michigan, but this law
tested on in laboratories in the hope of gaining a better knowledge of the human body. With that being said, many arguments have risen in relationship to this topic. Some of which claim to be the advances in medicine that have occurred since animal testing has begun, while others focus on the inhumane tactics and procedures that these helpless animals endure. As a result, this hot topic continues to be argued with no resolutions. In the meantime, multitudes of animals continue to die in laboratories
serious risk to the health, safety, or welfare of a subject; ii. Is purported or represented to be for a use in supporting or sustaining human life and presents a potential for serious risk to the health, safety, or welfare of a subject; iii. Is for a use of substantial importance in diagnosing, curing, mitigating, or treating disease, or otherwise preventing impairment of human health and presents a potential for serious risk to the health, safety, or welfare of a subject; or iv. Otherwise presents