State Employee Drug Testing Order Draws ACLU Lawsuit
Thursday, June 2, 2011
By: Regan McCarthy, Florida Public Radio

June 02, 2011 | WMFE - The American Civil Liberties Union is suing Florida Governor Rick Scott over an executive order that would require state employees to submit to random drug tests. The group's director says he expects this suit to be the first of many.

ACLU leaders say Governor Rick Scott’s order that all state employees must undergo drug tests infringes on employees’ constitutional rights to freedom from “unreasonable searches.”
ACLU Executive Director Howard Simon says it’s only one of many bills and orders from Florida’s new governor that the civil liberties group sees as violating citizen’s rights. Simon estimates his organization will consider more suits this year than in any previous time in his memory. “Because of the stuff that came out of the 2011 legislative session and the governor’s office on a host of issues.” Simon said. “From voting rights and abortion rights to church/state relations as well as the statute on mandatory drug testing for people receiving temporary assistance for needy families.”
Simon said he expects the ACLU to announce more legal actions by the end of the week. Gov. Scott says his order is intended to discourage drug abuse and protect taxpayer dollars.