Committees in both Maryland’s Senate and House of Delegates heard testimony this week on legislation that would protect workers from being penalized for off-duty marijuana use. If the legislation is enacted, employers would instead have to demonstrate that an individual was impaired while on the clock in order to fire them or take other adverse action.
The proposal would also bar companies from discriminating against people with prior convictions related to cannabis distribution.
On Thursday, members of the Senate Finance Committee heard SB 513, sponsored by Sen. Alonzo Washington (D). A day later, the House Economic Matters Committee took testimony on a companion bill with nearly identical language—HB 525, from Del. Jheanelle Wilkins (D).
While neither committee took action on the bill before it, they took hours of testimony from the bills’ sponsors, stakeholders and public commenters.
Washington, the sponsor of the Senate measure, said the proposal “seeks to safeguard Maryland workers from facing negative employment consequences due to their lawful cannabis usage.”
“This bill is designed to stop employment discrimination on the use of illegal substance that does not impair productivity,” he told the panel. “It prohibits the hiring discrimination for people who are formerly convicted relating to marijuana
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