In case you were wondering: Yes, Kansas DOES require drug testing for politicians!

[alp227]

On February 27, the Kansas State Senate passed an amendment to a welfare drug test bill to include state legislators! Seriously, I'm not making that up. Read the full motion to amend the bill here. I found that amendment from the Kansas Legislature summary of the bill; it is the Feb. 27, 2013 "Committee of the Whole - Motion to Amend - Offered by Senator Hensley" JPN #216.

And that amendment did make it to the final version of the law signed by Gov. Sam Brownback on April 16. However, that law passed quietly as it was signed the day after the Boston Marathon bombing.

(Formatting theirs; italics represent added text; but I added the bold for emphasis reason.)

Sec. 5. K.S.A. 2012 Supp. 75-4362 is hereby amended to read as
follows: 75-4362. (a) The director of the division of personnel services of
the department of administration shall have the authority to establish and
implement a drug screening program for persons taking office as gover-
nor, lieutenant governor or, attorney general or members of the Kansas
senate or house of representatives and for applicants for safety sensitive
positions in state government, but no applicant for a safety sensitive po-
sition shall be required to submit to a test as a part of this program unless
the applicant is first given a conditional offer of employment.
(b) The director also shall have the authority to establish and imple-
ment a drug screening program based upon a reasonable suspicion of
illegal drug use by any person currently holding one of the following
positions or offices:
(1) The office of governor, lieutenant governor or attorney general;
(2) members of the Kansas senate or house of representatives...

This aspect of the bill has gotten light mentions in two Wichita Eagle articles about the bill, on April 3:

"But questions have arisen about the fairness of testing welfare recipients who are already struggling, which is part of what led to an addition to the bill that requires lawmakers to also get tested when reasonable suspicion arises."

And April 17:

"The testing, already required of the governor and several other top state officials, now also extends to House and Senate members suspected of illegal drug use."

Funny thing is, I wonder if other states that passed similar bills like Florida ever considered this kind of amendment? But good on Senator Anthony Hensley for taking a stand against hypocrisy.

[The Straight Story]

1. "when reasonable suspicion arises"

Is that defined at all?

[alp227]

2. Ask Marion Barry, maybe he can explain. (snicker) n/t

[Half-Century Man]

3. They ran for office, so their judgement is in question

Whiz quiz em

[mokawanis]

4. Start with the governor

he looks kinda suspicious

[Nevernose]

5. You know what really pisses me off about welfare drug testing?

It's not the thinly veiled racism, not the bigotry towards poor people, not the promulgation of the war on drugs or the war on poor people.

It's the fact that it's fiscally irresponsible. Places that have done this (I'm looking at you, Florida!) have shown conclusively that it costs more to drug test welfare recipients than it does to just give people welfare. As it turns out, most of the people on public assistance aren't drug users, and even if they were drug users, they couldn't fucking AFFORD drugs because they're fucking POOR.

[Comrade Grumpy]

7. In Utah, they screened 4,000+ welfare applicants.

Said the screening indicated 800 were likely drug users. Nine tested positive.

The state spent $26,000+ for the testing and screening.

[mick063]

8. It doesn't matter

These are the folks that know voter fraud is not a problem.

They support voter disenfranchisement for political reasons.

The same can be said for drug testing welfare recipients.

[Comrade Grumpy]

6. Yes, but when do the start the IQ testing?