From Fox News. (H/T Dad)

Excerpt:

Pennsylvania officials are wading into the controversial territory of drug-testing welfare recipients, testing out a new program Republicans say is meant to prevent beneficiaries from getting a “free ride.”

After a federal judge blocked a much broader drug-test rule in Florida, Pennsylvania is taking a more careful approach. Instead of mandating drug tests for all welfare recipients, Pennsylvania plans to randomly test only those with a felony drug conviction within the past five years and those on probation for such offenses.

[…]Proponents have argued it’s not unreasonable for the government to require drug tests in exchange for payment, just as some employers do.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, at least three dozen states proposed bills pertaining to drug tests for welfare and food stamp recipients. Arizona and Missouri have joined Florida in passing drug-test bills, though theirs were more narrowly tailored.

As Pennsylvania tests its approach, other states are moving forward. Indiana’s House recently approved a drug-test bill for welfare recipients, as did a Virginia House committee.

Opponents of measures like this think that although a person who works to pay taxes should be drug-tested, people whom the government pays not to work should not be drug-tested.