THE ASSEMBLY STATE OF NEW YORK ALBANY

KEITH L. T. WRIGHT Assemblyman 70TH District New York County REPLY TO: Harlem State Office Building 163 West 125th Street, Suite 911 New York, New York 10027 (212) 866-5809 FAX (212) 864-1368 Room 522 Legislative Office Building Albany, New York 12248 (518) 455-4793 FAX (518) 455-3890

CHAIRMAN Labor CHAIRMAN Subcommittee on Public Housing CHAIRMAN Subcommittee on Equal Economic Opportunity and Human Rights MEMBER Black, Puerto Rican and Hispanic Legislative Caucus MTA Capital Program Review Board Puerto Rican/Hispanic Task Force Task Force on Criminal Justice Reform High Speed Rail Task Force COMMITTEES Ways and Means Codes Correction Housing

For Immediate Release June 14, 2011 ASSEMBLYMEMBERS KEITH WRIGHT AND ROBERT RODRIGUEZ TELL SENATOR BALL TO BOUNCE ON DRUG TESTING FOR WELFARE RECIPIENTS "Senator Greg Ball is dead wrong on his proposal to drug test welfare recipients. The last thing the most vulnerable New Yorkers need from their government is another roadblock to the services guaranteed to them by Article 17 of the New York State Constitution. For the record, the average family of four on welfare receives a mere $386 per month in temporary assistance from New York State. Additionally, there is already a statute in place to require drug testing if it is warranted, rather than the deficit increasing across-the-board invasion of privacy that Senator Ball proposes. I believe that Senator Ball would feel differently if it were residents of his district who stood to go hungry because of this nearsighted proposal. How does the Senator feel about drug testing people who purchase firearms? Wouldn't someone armed and on drugs be a much greater threat to our society? Regardless of where the Senator stands on the 2nd Amendment or Article 17, I think he needs to regain his footing before his hypocrisy spins him out of control," said Assemblyman Keith Wright (D- Central and West Harlem). To continue to perpetuate the myth that low income recipients of public assistance are drug users is an insult to hard working New Yorkers who are fighting their way out of poverty, especially during a challenging recession, said Assemblyman Robert Rodriguez (D- East Harlem). ### Contact: Ben Rosen 518-455-4793- Office 518-635-0794- Cell rosenb@nysa.us rosen.benjamin@gmail.com