Actually, it is a 'plan' to keep corrupt demoncrats from giving something to someone for doing nothing except being useless, for the sole purpose of getting votes. Not ALL people on welfare abuse it, but MANY do, but you can't 'rob peter to pay paul', & have paul be ok with it.... a RECENT example (one of MANY - & not that unusual) http://www.wmctv.com/story/18599734/two-midsouth-dads-with-a-near-combined-50

This is just another ploy by Republicans to distract stupid middle class voters with wedge issues while they rob them blind with their ongoing transfer of wealth from the bottom to the top 1%. This will not stop or even make a dent in any welfare fraud and will cost the state more than it saves the state.

Just to make this clear finally, I do think something needs to be done to stop abuse of welfare and medicaid, there needs to be some job program or Social Services workdays required to receive benefits. Something.. I don't have that answer but this mentality that if they have nothing to hide why worry is crap, the constitution says it is illegal anyone remember that?

unohoo, no I'm not familiar with drug laws, I am however familiar with constitutional laws, do you know the difference? Or just like to rag on someone you know nothing about for their opinion? I haven't done any drugs since 1981, then I was a huge MJ smoker but, my wife delivered our fist son and I decided to give it up because the money needed to go to raising our family. I worked construction for minimum wage for years before finally getting a decent raise and made a good living till I retired because of heart attack two years ago. Kids raised, me and the wife divorced no welfare at any time. That does not change my view on illegal searches and the corrupt law enforcement idiots we deal with here in Tennessee.

Listen to all the drop-out 'Constitutional lawyers' on aid commmenting on the only laws they are interested in! (I'll bet they know ALL about the laws regarding the use/manufacture/distribution of drugs, too).

You can really tell which commenters have their 'hands' out wanting something for nothing.... Leeches, siphoning off funds that should go to people who REALLY need it..... If I have to pay for EVERYTHING for somebody, I should get some compensation also; If they have 'rights' to MY hard-earned money. Some measure to ensure that the funds are deserved, & well spent. The male with THIRTY kids is only ONE of the reasons this is a good idea. If they recipients are NOT doing anything WRONG, they don't have anything to worry ABOUT.....

4Th Amendment of the Constitution of the United States "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized." Nowhere in this amendment does it say unless your employer thinks he needs to ignore this amendment, then it's ok, because we never meant the constitution to apply to these fine people. Random drug testing is a violation of this amendment any 5th grader can understand this why can't people like turtlekeeper understand it? They can. They just think they are above the law, I bet your a great boss. That was sarcasm by the way.

In response to turtlekeeper. You are an employer and you think you have a right to know what one of your employees is doing in his or her personal life? No one should be held to that standard for the right to work. You have the right to walk in their house and see how they live? How they eat? how they sleep? It's not your business. I haven't done drugs since I was 25 but that is not the point. The 4th amendment says we have the right to be secure in our privacy and your body is your own business. No search without a warrant. A drug test is a search morons like you are the reason this country is getting so screwed up, you ignore peoples rights if it does good for you. Thank God I don't have to deal with working for people like you anymore. You have no right to drug screen anyone to see if they qualify for your job, use a background check, do an interview, use your common sense, but no you just choose to violate one of the most basic rights every human being should have. Are you American or from somewhere else? Need to rethink your support of the constitution as you are clearly not in favor of it.

And this is important because we all know poor people caused the economic mess we are in. More useless, inane legislation by necons and their easily hyped minions. There will always be a boogie man in the closet for these folks. The Republican party has become the anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-poor people, anti-you-name-it party. Everybody is to blame for the economic mess but them. It had absolutely NOTHING to do with supply-side economic policies, combined with unfunded wars and banking deregulation allowing Wall Street big bankers to play casino with public money on a gargantuan scale. All that was an illusion, I suppose. One of these days, each and every one of you who have demonized those on public assistance will eat your words. Most of you are liars anyway and know not one single person who has required such help. You sound just like the racist who feels they must proclaim things like "some of my best friends are black"!

Not only do they need to test the new recipients,but i believe if you are useing taxpayer money to feed the needy then you should test them all.I have nothing against people needing help,I myself have been in the position of needing help in the past.but I was turned down because I didn;t qualify.I don't really understand that.someone who looses a job and wasn't able to find another one for almost 3 months.Bottom line is,if you want state assistance to buy your groceries for you or your family,or recieve insurance so you can have kids,then you should be subject random drug screening and required to take some kind of job training program.Too many people take advantage of the program and it's time it comes to an end.