A federal judge in Miami ruled Thursday morning that Governor Rick Scott's attempt to require tens of thousands of state workers to submit to random drug tests was unconstitutional, something the Governor still seemed to not understand when he gave his first public remarks after the ruling.
"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. "That is why so many private employers drug test and why the public and Florida's taxpayers overwhelmingly support this policy."
Scott is absolutely correct that many private employers do drug test their employees. Notice the key word is "private." And he is correct that state taxpayers in polls do support urine tests of state workers, but judge Ursula Ungaro's ruling found that Scott's issuance last year of an executive order requiring drug tests violates the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which protects against unreasonable searches. The judge also wrote that Scott did not justify a need for the tests.
This article appears in Apr 26 – May 2, 2012.