The sponsor filed a motion to potentially revive the legislation for future reconsideration.
By Barbara Hoberock, Oklahoma Voice
Oklahoma House lawmakers on Thursday defeated a measure that would give employers more leeway to fire individuals for using medical marijuana.
Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, the author, said House Bill 3127 would not force employers to do anything, but would give them discretion to classify additional jobs as “safety-sensitive” beyond what is in law. State law allows businesses to prohibit employees from using marijuana who work in “safety-sensitive” jobs based on drug testing.
Existing law classifies “safety-sensitive jobs” as those that require operating vehicles, machines and power tools, carrying a firearm and providing direct care to patients or children, among other duties.
West said nothing in the bill says that if a person tests positive, they are out of a job.
He said he would be shocked if employers began listing all jobs as “safety-sensitive.”
If every business implemented classified every job as “safety-sensitive,” they would not be able to find individuals to hire, West said.
Over 315,000 Oklahomans hold medical marijuana licenses, state records show.
Critics cited concerns about the legality and the potential impact on employees who have a doctor’s prescription to legally use
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