Latest Headlines on OCRegister.com
[x] Close
- NEWS
- SPORTS
- BUSINESS
- ENTERTAINMENT
- LIFE
- TRAVEL
- OPINION
Drug testing proposed for state legislators
July 23rd, 2009, 3:58 pm · 47 Comments · posted by Martin Wisckol, Politics reporter
Do our state legislators behave as though they’re on drugs? Somebody thinks so, as there is a petition in circulation for a proposed ballot measure that would test legislators for illegal drugs and “habitual use of alcohol” on the first day of the session. A positive test and they’d basically be suspended from the Legislature and sent to rehab.
A second dirty test, and they’d be kicked out of the Legislature. Marijuana use would be permitted with a doctors note.
Click hear to read the proposal. Proponents have until Dec. 10 to collect 433,971 valid signatures.
ADVERTISEMENT
Reader Comments
Comments are encouraged, but you must follow our User Agreement.- Keep it civil and stay on topic.
- No profanity, vulgarity, racial slurs or personal attacks.
- People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
47 Comments
Leave a Reply
-
ADVERTISEMENT
-
DENA BUNIS, Washington bureau chief, 202-628-6381 or dbunis@ocregister.com
BRIAN JOSEPH, Sacramento correspondent, 916-449-6046 or bjoseph@ocregister.com
JENNIFER MUIR, County government reporter, 714-796-7813 or jmuir@ocregister.com
JOEL WALSH, Washington bureau intern, 202-628-6381 or jwalsh@ocregister.com
MARTIN WISCKOL, Politics reporter, 714-285-2867 or mwisckol@ocregister.com twitter.com/MartinWisckol
Click here for bloggers' biographies
-
-
-
-
-
ADVERTISEMENT
that’s tight.
cool
I’ll sign the petition, this could be one of the problems with Sacramento!
please go to legislatorsusingsoberhabits.com to request a petition.
Where do I sign?
I hope they are going to rehab on their own nickle and not my tax nickle.
yes, that is one of the conditions of the amendment.
I PROPOSE IF THEY PASS THIS BUDGET AND DO NOT TEST POSITIVE FOR DRUGS THE LEGISLATOR GETS THE BOOT BECAUSE THEN THEY HAVE NO EXCUSE
Gov. Arnold should have been tested after that tweet with a 2 foot knife
LOL!
It’s time has come.
So by saying that the use of Marijuana by doctors note demonstrates the states legal position on the matter. This will make it easier to fight cases in the public sector i.e. drug testing and the use of medicinal Marijuana.
This, to me, is a big win in the retarded war against pot and those who choose to use it for valid medical uses. The State finally does something right….
They should do this with All congress and our presidential administration…because they’re all smoking crack if they think US true American citizens can’t see what they’re trying to do to this country.
I’m running for office and then I’m going to go see my doctor!
Makes perfect sense, testing a bunch of dopes for dope.
Why not the police and prison guards as well since they have jobs that effect the public safety? Drug testing is just for the “common folk”.
Finally.
Some of these guys have been on another planet since Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown and the likes of Carol Migden with her semi-annual DUI and car wreck.
While we’re at it, how about a continuing education requirement (as in some professions, thanks to the legislature) and test on the legitimate functions of government?
Where do I sign?
Sign on the Lgislaters forehead.
Great responses. While we are at it, make them all take and pass the high school exit exam. That would eliminate a lot of them in Sacramento.
SHOWME that VEIN…if yer livin right….whatcha got to fear??? WHY shouldnt you be held to the same rules as me…he*L, Im just a chemist, a PHARMA chemist who answers to LAWS ETC…youre just a *cough cough* politician…who NOT ONLY ANSWERS to laws…but PEOPLE!!! geeeeezUS PEOPLE! when do we become accountable…..
That will thin the herd.
GREAT IDEA.
I’ll sign.
Every government worker is drug tested prior to hiring, and is subject to random testing at any time. Why should the legislators be any different? Personally, I think they should be tested prior to taking the oath.
How about before they even get on the ballot?
I’m ready to sign!
The proposed law should apply to all elected positions in the state, all public employees who are in “safety” positions, e.g. police, firefighters, correctional officers, and all public employees who deal with minors, e.g., teachers and social workers.
All employees for Orange County are tested prior to hiring, and randomly.
That is encouraging. Do you know how many random drug tests were performed by OC in 2008?
Funny, I was thinking they need to do the opposite and have a hookah room in the legislative lounge along with a fully stocked bar !!!
Finally a proposal that makes sense… The little guy has been forced to jump through these hoops for years. Why? Because governing bodies like our legislature have dictated so. Having them abide by the same policies will certainly level the playing field.
Any takers on the % of State ligislaters will fail such a test?
Gee, that’s just not fair! Making lawmakers follow the same standards as the rest of us?! Don’t you know they’re better than we are? (note: that would be “sarcasm”)
Scott–
OF COURSE they’re better than we are–at least, THEY think so!
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have voted themselves Universal HealthCare on OUR TAX MONIES, whilst DENYING IT TO THE REST OF US!
And it surprises you that they smoke weed on OUR DIME TOO–while tossing the rest of us in jail for also partaking?
Scott–don’t you know that HYPOCRISY is part and parcel of the American politico’s makeup? Fortunately, there IS a remedy, and a good one, against these assholes:
Our Founding Fathers gave us a mechanism by which we could rid ourselves of toxic legislators–right now, it’s the ones (like Sen. Max Baucus of Montana) who has decreed to his Committee: “Universal Healthcare is OFF THE TABLE”–
(while still enjoying it for himself and his family AT OUR EXPENSE–
RECALL THE BASTARD!!!!!!!
Recall ALL OF THEM who would deny us the basic right that THEY arrogated for THEMSELVES ALONE, and that which the citizenry of the rest of the world enjoys–Universal HealthCare.
Everyone should read up on how to start and pass a Recall Petition in their State. I imagine it varies from state to state. Here in TX, maybe it’s just a joke, but one website (I kid you not-) had as it’s TEXAS RECALL PETITION–a hangman’s noose!
Oh wait, that was just a joke–but hey, maybe not?
Good!
Random testing for police too.
It seems pretty arrogant that the government can conduct checkpoints yet are not required to be randomly checked themselves.
what a waste of time and money! ‘habitual use of alcohol’? come on now! we really want nanny government? what would you do if you were out having dinner with your friends and someone was monitoring your alcohol intake? completely inappropriate! If contituents are unhappy with legislators, then they shouldn’t elect them in two years - that’s why we have term limits. BE EDUCATED ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER READERS!
This is a great idea. With some of the legislation that’s passed in Sacramento you would assume that they are all on drugs.
I have smelled the inside of Curren Price’s state car when he enters the Capitol garage. Does he have a doctor’s note?
GREAT IDEA. LET’S EXTEND THAT TO ALL PUBLIC OFFICES AND THE POLICE AND ESPECIALLY … ALL CORPORTE EXECUTIVES.
I think it’s a bad idea. I have no problem with the illegal drugs test; but why alcohol? It is not illegal to drink alcohol, though most people wouldn’t do so right before going to work. Still, it used to be normal to have a little bar in your office and offer a drink to a guest while doing business. What is the big deal? If these guys went around drunk all the time, they wouldn’t get elected in the first place.
This is just more control by bureaucrats, which is the number one problem with our government today. Some pencil pusher will love getting just a little more incremental control, and one day will be able to abuse it to override the will of the sovereign people of the State of California.
It would be good to subject our legislators to the indignity that they routinely subject citizens. How it must be the directly observed urination sort or it is too easy to circumvent. Then they might understand the ugly results of the intrusive laws they pass. I’ll sign the petition.
Of course, the big problem is that there is no urine-test for stupidity.
When biologists develop a blood-test for bigotry, corruption, incompetence & cowardice, we could have a worthwhile screening. In the meantime voters will have to take time and examine the voting records of these geniuses. That tells us what we really need to know.
Yeah, let’s all be real, real stupid. Let’s ask the government to spy on our bloodstream, look into our brains, check our phone records…
Anyone who wants that scenario should be punched until they stop wiggling.
where do i sign?
get some signature-collectors down to SF’s Castro-Neighborhood some weekend for LOTS of signers.
Lets test all the police - that is more important than going after legislators
They should test Arnold too. Immediately!
I’m a bartender so let me tell you about alcoholics. I’ve known many, some rich and some poor but ALL had to have a drink when they first wake up. Like a morning cigarette to calm the nerves, a morning drink to stop the shakes. If the public knew how many people go to work drunk everyday, prohibition would still exist.
It’s not a test for picking up guys in bathrooms, flirting with young boys or adulterous affairs so the Republicans should be safe.
I’m not sure about drug testing but for all elective offices I think there should be a psychiatric evaluation, especially for the Senate and House of Representative and especially for Minnesota and Alaska.
If you “hit” legislatorsusingsoberhabits.com (yeah, it’s long) you can sign to receive a ballot initiative petition. I would hope you can help me gather enough signatures to qualify.
because this is a true grassroots process there is no money (to give or to be received) but rather a ‘voice” to let our legislators know we’re pretty upset with their on-going lifestyles and voting ways.
Please request a petition. I’m the guy directly in the middle of this.