Friday, April 27, 2012
The US state of Florida has repealed an order by the state’s governor to drug test all state employees and new hires to state agencies. The Miami federal court has said that the order is unconstitutional, violating the ban upon ‘unreasonable’ search and seizure.
Last year, Governor Rick Scott ordered 80,000 drug tests on state employees. He is a former health care executive and objects to the ruling against drug testing. “As I have repeatedly explained, I believe that drug testing state employees is a common sense means of ensuring a safe, efficient and productive workforce,” Scott said yesterday.
Howard Simon, executive director of the A.C.L.U. of Florida, said, “The governor can’t order the state to search people’s bodily fluids for no reason.”
Governor Scott is also dealing with a drug testing-related lawsuit for recipients of welfare.