West Virginia Republicans Want Welfare Recipients Tested for Drugs Before Awarding Benefits, Lawmaker Calls Measure "Racist"

Sally Susman, (D-WV) calls state Republicans proposal to test welfare recipients for drugs before awarding benefits "racist."

There is a proposal making its way through the West Virginia state legislature that would require recipients of welfare benefits to submit to drug testing in order to receive said benefits. One lawmaker, Del. Sally Susman (D-Raleigh) said in an interview with the State Journal that such a measure was not only costly, it was downright racist. Republicans in the state House of Delegates are pushing for laws they claim would reduce fraud in the welfare system.

The reality is that West Virginia wouldn't be the first state to implement such a measure. Arizona currently tests welfare recipients for drugs if state authorities have reason to suspect that an individual may be taking drugs. Michigan tried to implement such a law, but it was struck down by the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that drug testing for welfare benefits violated a person's Fourth Amendment right on the grounds that it amounted to an unreasonable search.

Not only is this a costly piece of legislation, it will violate the rights of recipients. I am all for reducing fraud in the welfare system, but we all know that the testing will be weighted along racial lines. Wouldn't it be better to use that money to help the recipients get off welfare, such as job training, job search assistance and so on>