State pays back $600,000 for welfare

Judge says law may violate a constitutional ban

MIAMI, Fla. - The state has to pay back nearly $600,000 to welfare recipients who were denied welfare aid because they failed or refused to take a drug test.

An Orlando federal judge ordered the state last year to temporarily suspend the law championed by Gov. Rick Scott that required welfare recipients pay for and pass a drug test. The judge said the law may violate a constitutional ban on unreasonable searches and seizures.

Nearly 4,000 adults did not have drugs in their system and 108 tested positive. Nearly people refused to take the drug test.

Critics said roughly 4,000 of the state's poorest families were not able to buy food or pay rent during the four month period when they were denied befits because of the drug testing law.

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