A California Assembly Committee has approved a Senate passed bill that prohibits employers from asking about previous marijuana use.
The Assembly Judiciary Committee voted 8-2 on Wednesday to approve the measure, about a month after it was passed by the Senate . The bill was approved by the Labor and Employment Committee in the previous week and will now be sent to the Appropriations Committee.
The bill would expand current employment protections that were enacted during the last session, which prohibit employers from penalizing workers who use cannabis as per state law while off the job.
The bill text states that it is illegal for an employer or recruiter to ask an applicant about their prior cannabis use.
The law that was enacted in the last year states that employers are prohibited from discriminating against an employee when it comes to hiring, terminating, or imposing any condition or term of employment or penalizing them if they do so because that person used marijuana off duty or if a drug test revealed cannabinoid-metabolites.
Workers “in the construction and building trades” and those who require federal background checks or security clearances are exempt from the policy.
Bradford told that some employers still have zero tolerance policies for cannabis use, and they ask job applicants if they’ve used marijuana recreationally before being hired. This practice not only discourages candidates from applying, but can also lead to individuals lying to obtain a job. Some are denied the opportunity to continue in the application process because they use cannabis legally and responsibly.
If the Bill, which is currently advancing in this session, is sent to the Governor and signed by him at the end of the session, it will take effect on January 1, 2024. This is also the date that the previous cannabis employment protections law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed the legislation last year.
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The legalization of marijuana has prompted a national discussion on cannabis-related employment policies.
Michigan officials recently proposed to end pre-employment marijuana drug testing in most government jobs, and also give people who have already been punished for positive THC test a chance to get the sanction revoked retroactively.
In May, Washington State Governor passed a law protecting workers against employment discrimination due to their legal use of marijuana during the hiring process.
Washington now joins Nevada in banning discrimination against applicants who test positive for marijuana. New York offers broader protections to adults who use cannabis legally during non-working hours.
The U.S. Department of Transportation recently finalized a new rule that amends its drug-testing policy. This could have significant consequences for truckers and commercial drivers who use marijuana on the job.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has updated its employment policy to make it so applicants who’ve grown, manufactured or sold marijuana in compliance with state laws while serving in a “position of public responsibility” will no longer be automatically disqualified–whereas those who did so in violation of state cannabis policies won’t be considered.
Recently, the Secret Service relaxed its restrictions on marijuana use by potential agents.
Marijuana Moment obtained draft documents late last year that showed the federal Office of Personnel Management was proposing to replace several job application forms in a manner that would deal with past cannabis use much more leniently under current policy.
In 2021, the Biden administration implemented a policy that allows waivers for certain workers that admit to previous marijuana use. However, certain legislators have called for further reform.
At a hearing on marijuana legalization last year, Rep. Jamie Raskin said that he planned to introduce a bill protecting federal employees from being denied clearances for marijuana.
The nation’s largest federal employee union adopted a resolution last year in support of marijuana decriminalization, and to end the policies that penalize federal employees for using cannabis responsibly when they are off-the-clock in states where the drug is legal.
In 2021, the director of national Intelligence (DNI), said that federal employers should not reject security clearance applications based on past use. They should also use discretion with those who have cannabis in their stock portfolios.
According to a recent survey, 30 percent of people between 18 and 30 either refused to apply or withdrew their applications because of the strict marijuana policies that are required for security clearances.
In California, an Assembly Committee approved a Senate passed bill that legalized marijuana cafes. This allows dispensaries to serve non-cannabis foods and drinks if they get local approval. This measure is similar to a separate proposal approved on the Assembly floor in this session.
Last month, the state marijuana regulators announced that they had allocated $4.1 million to local cannabis licensing programs to help address the unmet demand of consumers and to curb the illicit market.
In May, the California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development announced that it had awarded over $50 million in community reinvestment grant funded by marijuana taxes.
DCC also recently awarded nearly 20 million dollars in research grants funded by marijuana tax revenues to 16 academic institutions for the study of cannabis, including novel cannabinoids such as delta-8 THC, and the genetics “legacy strains” from the state.
California is also making efforts to extend its marijuana market outside of the state’s boundaries. Regulators are seeking an official opinion from the office of the attorney general on whether interstate marijuana commerce puts the state at “significant” risk for federal enforcement actions.
The governor’s signed law last year, which empowered him to enter agreements with other states that allow the importation and exportation of marijuana products.
Last month, a Assembly Committee approved a Senate passed bill that legalized the possession of and facilitation of use for certain psychedelics.
A poll conducted last month revealed that Californians support for legalizing cannabis is higher now than it was when they passed the reform in 2016. And a majority of voters want cannabis retailers operating in their neighborhoods.
A new report by the California Attorney General’s Office shows that California courts have sealed, resentenced, or dismissed approximately 90 percent of marijuana convictions eligible for activities legalized in 2016 under an initiative approved by voters.
Nebraska Activists Launch Signature Collection for 2024 Medical Marijuana Ballot Initiatives
Martin Alonso is the photographer of this photo.
The article California Assembly Committee approves Senate-passed bill to stop employers from asking about past marijuana use first appeared on Marijuana Moment.
