While acknowledging no details on Walker’s proposal are yet available, Department of Workforce Development spokesman John Dipko said the agency “is committed to ensuring those who receive public assistance such as unemployment benefits are ready and willing to work.”

But some state programs in which everyone receiving or applying for public benefits is drug tested have been slapped down as unconstitutional. And more narrowly tailored programs testing only suspected drug users have resulted in very few beneficiaries being dropped from welfare rolls.

If Wisconsin attempts to enact broad-based testing for food-stamp recipients, it could run into legal troubles. Earlier this year, Georgia passed a law requiring testing of food stamp recipients suspected of drug use but agreed in July not to enforce it after the state attorney general and the U.S. Department of Agriculture warned it was illegal and could result in loss of federal funding for Georgia’s program.

Sherrie Tussler, the executive director of Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee, questioned how the Walker administration would implement such a program.