AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) _ The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine says a plan to require some welfare recipients to receive drug tests is unconstitutional.
At a public hearing Monday, Oamshri Amarasingham, the ACLU's public policy counsel, said the government must have a warrant based on probable cause to get a drug test except in limited circumstances.
Republican Gov. Paul LePage recently announced the state will begin enforcing a 2011 law that allows drug testing of those who've been convicted of drug-related felonies.
Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew said the administration has examined the legal challenges that similar laws have faced in other states and believes Maine's law is constitutional.
Mayhew said the state's considering legislation to expand the requirement to more recipients but declined to provide details.