Rep. Dane Eagle, R-Cape Coral submitted a bill in the Florida legislature this week requiring drug tests for elected officials and judges.
Under the bill, officials and judges from the federal to local level would take a drug test within 60 days of their election.
Those who refuse testing would be required to resign. Any official who tests positive for illegal drugs would have their confidential results sent to the Commission on Ethics, which would then recommend a treatment program.
Eagle said the public has become skeptical of officials since former Congressman Trey Radel (R.-Fla.) was arrested late last year for cocaine possession in Washington, D.C.
“There’s an air of suspicion in our area and that kind of broke the public trust,” Eagle said. “And that was disheartening to a lot of people including myself so the thought is let’s try to do something to try to uphold that public trust.”
State lawmakers have struggled with the limits of drug testing in the last few years including holding
