• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / News / Walker drug testing plan may face challenge (VIDEO)

Walker drug testing plan may face challenge (VIDEO)

February 3, 2015 By Bob Hague

Governor Scott Walker’s state budget plan is expected to require drug testing for some public benefits applicants. The provision – described as a way to help move people from government dependence to independence – was contained in a workforce development plan released by the governor’s last month.

But is it constitutional? State Representative Chris Taylor, a Madison Democrat, doesn’t think so.

There are other issues as well, according to Marquette University political scientist Charles Franklin. “All of the analysis I’ve seen of it in other states suggests that it has very little effect on the number of people receiving public assistance, and is sometimes fairly costly to implement,” Franklin said.

Dane County Executive Joe Parisi indicated on Monday that he might sue over Walker’s proposal to require drug testing for recipients of public health care, food stamp and jobless benefits. “People who fall on hard times should not be treated like criminals; they should be treated like people who have fallen on hard times: with dignity and respect. Requiring someone who has just been laid off from their job to pee in a cup is not treating people in a dignified manner; it is degrading and insulting,” said a statement from Parisi.

Walker’s administration has said that those who fail the drug test will be offered the opportunity to participate in a drug treatment program, free of charge, as well as job training. The Governor is scheduled to deliver his 2015-’17 budget Tuesday night.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: News, Politics / Govt



Featured Stories

Panthers rally to upset Wright State in Horizon League quarterfinals

Jokic leads Denver in rout of the Bucks

Can Packers make a splash in free agency? Aaron Jones?

Wisconsin was better but still falls short at Purdue

Assembly Republicans propose bills to prohibit transgender girls from girls’ sports

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Panthers rally to upset Wright State in Horizon League quarterfinals

Jokic leads Denver in rout of the Bucks

Can Packers make a splash in free agency? Aaron Jones?

Wisconsin was better but still falls short at Purdue

Marquette edges DePaul in Big East action

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2021 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC