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Welcome to NotWithMyTaxDollars.com where you can learn about my proposed legislation to drug test recipients of Welfare, Unemployment and Food Assistance (formerly known as Food Stamps).
Nowhere in our state or U.S. constitutions is it mandated that financial assistance is a right. Make no mistake, it is a privilege afforded to those in need by the taxpayers via our federal and state governments. Also, unemployment compensation premiums are currently paid by the employer, not the employee; however that may change very soon. We should also remember that illicit drug use is illegal. It is a crime that has criminal penalties.
I think it's time that we get serious about the problem of illegal drug users abusing our public assistance system in West Virginia. We should require random drug testing for every individual receiving welfare, food assistance or unemployment benefits. After all, more and more employers are requiring drug testing. Why not make sure that people who are supposed to be looking for work are already prequalified by being drug free?
Furthermore, encouraging just one drug addicted, welfare supported mother or father, to get clean, would save potentially thousands upon thousands of dollars. For every child born who is inflicted with a lifelong drug abuse related disease, the taxpayer’s incurred expense could be in the hundreds of thousands and potentially millions of dollars.
Opponents claim that this legislation will hurt the children. Evidence clearly indicates that drug addicted parents are the ones truly inflicting the harm. This bill actually helps to protect the children. Someone who fails a drug test will be given two months to get clean before assistance is cut off. Any good parent would clearly choose their children’s best interest over illegal drugs. And, maybe financial resources or the lack there of will be a greater cessation motivator than the addiction itself. Remember, the upfront drug testing expense is minimal compared to the backside taxpayer incurred burden.
As for the constitutional issue, it has never been considered by the US Supreme Court. Furthermore, “Big Brother” already invades welfare recipient’s lives by requiring proof of need via payroll receipts and bank account information. Interestingly enough, employees can get fired from their job for drug usage, yet receive unemployment compensation benefits which in turn drives up the cost of employer paid unemployment premiums.
In essence, I believe that this bill will be constitutional. Opponents of this bill are either enablers of bad (illegal) behavior, drug abusers or the most despicable of all...have a personal financial interest/gain in the demise of a certain segment of our society. And, they’ve yet to offer a viable alternative to this legislation.
It’s time we start respecting the taxpayer and get serious about fixing this problem.
Paid for and Designed by WV Delegate Craig Blair
Track This Legislation -- HB 3007
March 29, 2009 - NotWithMyTaxDollars.com surpasses the 50,000 hit mark.
March 26, 2009 - HB 3007 Gains National Attention
March 16, 2009 - Delegate Blair Requests Chairperson Carrie Webster to Consider HB 3007 Click Here to View
March 12, 2009 - WV Farm Bureau Endorses HB 3007
March 10, 2009 - Bill Sponsors Submit Letter to Chairperson Carrie Webster Click Here to View
March 10, 2009 - Bill Finally Introduced and then is double referrenced to both Judiciary Committee and then to the Finance Committee.
March 6, 2009 - Bill Receives Sponsors and Submitted for Introduction.
March 5, 2009 - Press Conference to submit bill.
March 3, 2009 - Bill Received...Now Getting Sponsors 5 Republicans and 6 Democrats.
March 2, 2009 - Still Waiting
February 25, 2009 - Waiting for bill to come up from Bill Drafting to add sponsors.
February 20, 2009 - Bill drafted by GOP Staff Attorneys
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NEWS Coverage
(AP) Charleston Gazette - Charleston,WV,USA
It’s on talk radio, the Internet and the Republican Party’s priority list: so far, a GOP delegate’s attention-grabbing drug testing bill is everywhere but before the Legislature. Berkeley County lawmaker Craig Blair has been ...
Martinsburg Journal - Martinsburg,WV,USA
Feb 26, 2009 ... A piece of legislation being proposed by Delegate Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, has prompted multiple calls to Journal Junction and numerous ...
West Virginia MetroNews - Charleston,WV,USA
--Delegate Craig Blair of Berkeley County and Senator Clark Barnes of Randolph County are both Republicans, but they clearly are on opposite sides of the ...
Martinsburg Journal - Martinsburg,WV,USA
By Jenni Vincent / Journal staff writer MARTINSBURG - Delegate Craig Blair says he's gotten a "huge response" for a bill he plans to introduce this week, ...
WSAZ-TV - Huntington,WV,USA (VIDEO)
Blair says the number of people who are removed from the system will save the state enough money to cover the tests. Delegate Blair hopes to introduce the ...
Tom Miller: Financial assistance may require drug test - The Hearald-Dispatch - Huntington, WV, USA
That's why Delegate Craig Blair, a Berkeley County Republican, will introduce a bill this week to require everyone who receives federal food ...
Bluefield Daily Telegraph - Bluefield,WV,USA
Delegate Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, has introduced legislation that would require residents receiving government aid to conduct blood or urine tests ...
Beckley Register-Herald - Beckley,WV,USA
In an impassioned speech on the House floor, Delegate Craig Blair called on Democrats to join him in support of his “two strikes and you’re out” legislation ...
Coming Soon
Yard Signs &
Bumper Stickers
WSAZ-TV - Charleston/Huntington,WV,USA (VIDEO) Another group is throwing its support behind a bill that would require welfare recipients to be drug tested. The Farm Bureau endorsed the bill Thursday afternoon at the capitol.
Daily Mail - Charleston - Charleston,WV,USA
by Jake Stump Delegate Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, has found a grassroots organization that is endorsing his controversial proposal that would require random ...
WOWK-TV Charleston/Huntington, WV,USA (VIDEO)
The West Virginia Farm Bureau has joined the ranks of those in support of randomly drug testing those on public assistance.
Beckley Register-Herald - Beckley,WV,USA
By Mannix Porterfield CHARLESTON — Delegate Craig Blair picked up the 19,000-family-strong West Virginia Farm Bureau in support Thursday of his controversial ...
WSAZ-TV - Charleston/Huntington,WV,USA (VIDEO)
Delegate Craig Blair (R-Berkeley) introduced the legislation Wednesday. If the bill passes, it would require all welfare recipients to be drug tested before
Charleston Gazette - Charleston,WV,USA
House Judiciary Chairwoman Carrie Webster, D-Kanawha, who controls the fate of a bill to drug-test recipients of welfare...
West Virginia MetroNews - Charleston,WV,USA
"I can assure you that if this is an issue that's right for committee debate there will be a debate all right," says Kanawha County Delegate Carrie Webster (D).
WV Delegate Wants Drug Testing for Govt Aid RecipientsWHAG-25 - Hagerstown,MD,USA
A West Virginia lawmaker thinks people on public assistance should pass a drug test before cashing in...
Beckley Register-Herald - Beckley,WV,USA
Delegate Craig Blair cautioned opponents of his proposed “two strikes and you’re out” drug testing of welfare and jobless recipients...
WTAP-TV - Parkersburg,WV,USA (VIDEO)
The other objective, in the bill championed by Delegate Craig Blair, is that it encourages recipients to stay drug-free. But opponents say it also makes ...
Testing the Limits of Drug Testing Decision MakersWOWK-TV Charleston/Huntington, WV,USA (VIDEO)
Host Bray Cary talks with Representative Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, about his plan to drug test those who receive certain types of public assistance.
WSAZ-TV - Charleston,WV,USA (VIDEO)
The debate over a new bill that would require drug testing welfare recipients, is heating up.
WOWK-TV Charleston/Huntington, WV, USA (VIDEO) March 5, 2009 News Broadcast
WCHS -TV Charleston, WV, USA (VIDEO)
After failing to gain bi-partisan support, Berkeley County Delegate Craig Blair is moving forward with just republican backing.
Beckley Register-Herald - Beckley,WV,USA
Susman made known her disgust with the measure crafted by Delegate Craig Blair, one that has triggered the most passions so far under the Capitol dome. ...
WOWK-TV Charleston/Huntington, WV, USA (VIDEO) March 2, 2009
WOWK-TV Charleston/Huntington, WV, USA (VIDEO)
The bill would require all recipients of Welfare, Unemployment and Food Assistance to be randomly drug tested.
The Mercer County Republican Executive Committee by unanimous vote supports the “Random drug testing for recipients of federal-state and state assistance” bill sponsored in the West Virginia House of Delegates by Delegate Craig Blair. It is the opinion of our committee that this bill will aid in the proper use of tax dollars, help to reform drug users, and help to remove drug users from homes with children. We feel that implementation of this bill does not serve as an invasion of privacy due to the fact that acceptance of public assistance is a voluntary act.
The following resolution was approved unanimously by the Mercer County Republican Executive Committee.
Attention Illicit Drug Users: Do You Want to Get your Life Back and Quit Now but You Need Help?
Dial this Number on Any Phone: 211
Click on My Name to Send Me an E-Mail
Updated - March 30, 2009
The West Virginia State Republican Party approved a resolution of support.
The Berkeley County Republican Executive Committee has unanimously approved a resolution of support. Text will be posted when it becomes available.
The Raleigh County Republican Executive Committee has approved a resolution of support. Text will be posted when it becomes available.
The West Virginia Young Republicans has approved a resolution of support. Text will be posted when it becomes available.
Organizations, Groups, Democrat and Republican Committees alike are welcome and encouraged to adopt resolutions to be posted.
Sally Susman
(D - Raleigh)
District 27
Capitol Address:
Room 215E-B, Building 1
State Capitol Complex
Charleston, WV 25305
Capitol Phone: (304) 340-3183
E-mail: ssusman@mail.wvnet.edu
Click Picture Below To View the Much Talked About Letter From Delegate Susman to Blair. Susman Released this Letter to the Press Immediately.
Poll by:
The InterMountain Elkins, WV
Poll by:
The Journal
Martinsburg, WV
WHAG - 25 (Eastern Panhandle)
Florida
Senator
seeks
Drug
Testing
for
Unemployment
Benefits
Beckley Register-Herald - Beckley,WV,USA
But its lead sponsor, Delegate Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, is still hoping to belt a home run before the gavel falls April 11 on the 60-day session. Yet his success...
Tom Breen, Associated Press Writer
Stay clean or stay off the dole: lawmakers want welfare recipients to take random drug tests.
Beckley Register-Herald - Beckley,WV,USA
By Mannix Porterfield CHARLESTON — Welfare recipient Brian Caldwell acknowledged Wednesday he often swapped food stamps for drugs
WCHS -TV Charleston, WV, USA (VIDEO)
A controversial drug testing bill just got more backing from an unlikely source.
WOWK-TV Charleston/Huntington, WV,USA (VIDEO)
The bill would implement random drug testing for folks on welfare, unemployment and what was formerly food stamps.
Former Addicts Boldly
Support HB 3007
Brian & Mitzy Caldwell
NotWithMyTaxDollars.com is an advocacy website to promote Welfare, Food Assistance and Unemployment Reforms
