Maine Governor: No More Welfare for Those With Drug Felonies

AUGUSTA, Maine - Maine's Republican governor wants to abandon drug testing for some welfare recipients.
 
Instead, Gov. Paul LePage simply wants to make people convicted of a felony drug offense after 1996 ineligible to receive cash assistance and food stamps.
 
The idea is within the governor's 230-page budget proposal, and comes as Maine legalizes recreational marijuana. The governor's proposal is getting pushback from advocates for low-income individuals, who say it's erroneous to assume everyone with a felony conviction is a serious drug offender.
 
More states are opting out of federal law prohibiting welfare for such individuals. The Congressional Research Service found three states have a lifetime ban on both cash benefits and food stamps.
 
From April through June 2015, one Maine welfare recipient tested positive for drugs. State officials haven't provided recent data.