The 4th Amendment and (good) social policy have a joint win with 1 stone: the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida has struck down a Florida state law requiring welfare applicants to be drug tested. The case is a Lebron v. Secretary of the Florida Department of Children & Families, Case No. 6:11-CV-01473-MSS-DAB (M.D. Fla. Jan. 2, 2014)
According to recent reports (see here), the Florida law
According to the Federal Court's decision, the Florida law was temporarily halted back in October 2011 until a federal court could sort the whole thing out.
More after the break...
According to recent reports (see here), the Florida law
required parents to undergo and pay for urine tests for illegal drugs when they applied for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, a federal-state program that helps poor people with children pay for food, shelter and necessities.The penalty for refusal to take the required test was a denial of the benefits. Said another way, an applicant was required to submit themselves for screening by the government to help get help paying for food. The justification for the law was in the interests of the public.
According to the Federal Court's decision, the Florida law was temporarily halted back in October 2011 until a federal court could sort the whole thing out.
More after the break...
