Drug-testing bill clears Legislature, heads to Gov's desk

Senators Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, center, shares a laugh with Senators Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R- Miami, left, and Garrett Richter, R- Naples, right, after passage of Hays drug testing bill for state employees. [Scott Keeler | Times]

Florida lawmakers approved a plan to allow random drug tests for state employees Friday, on a 26-14 Senate vote.

Bill sponsor, Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, said the bill was necessary to curb the problem of illegal drug use in Florida.

“For us to put our heads in the sand and say, ‘Oh no, we won’t allow our state employees to be drug tested, is disingenuous’,” said Hays. “Just because somebody works for the state, doesn’t make them any less likely to have a drug abuse problem.”

While similar random suspicionless testing programs are common in some private sector industries, courts rulings indicate that government drug tests may be unconstitutional.

The bill allows state agencies to randomly test up to 10 percent of their workforce once every three months. It would also allow agencies to fire employees the first time they test positive. Current law only allows random drug testing for “safety sensitive” positions, and prohibits agencies from firing workers who test positive once, requiring treatment programs instead.

Hays, and his House counterpart Jimmie Smith, R-Lecanto, have said the drug tests make sense and will stand up to a constitutional test.

Democrats and some so-called “Libertarian Republicans,” like Sen. Joe Negron, R-Stuart, voted against the testing plan.

Lawmakers last week voted down an amendment that would have required the governor and elected officials to be drug tested.

“It was found to be unconstitutional to drug test elected officials because it prevents us, as citizens, from having that First Amendment right,” Smith said last month.

The bill, which survived a brief brush with death last month, is headed to the Governor’s desk. 

@ToluseO

Comments

[me.yahoo.com/a/yKIUuWxrmt3LGFpyOU0S4oVwejrQdE_0egWe]

Once again, the class-warfare villains of the Florida Legislature have excluded themselves from scrutiny in their attack on public-sector employees. The legislators---who are actually the highest expression of "public employees"---are not, themselves, required to submit to this travesty to The Bill of Rights, i.e., the 4th Amendment. So-they-say, it would be unconstitutional to include themselves. What gall! What temerity! THEY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES? Only when their privacy and dignity is involved, apparently.

[Drug Test Friend]

This is the most blatent waste of Florida tax payer's money I have ever seen. Exaclty what is going to be accomplished with such a bill?