Florida Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Protect Medical Marijuana Users in Government Jobs
In a move aimed at promoting fairness and inclusivity, a South Florida Democrat has proposed a bill that seeks to safeguard government employees and job applicants who use medical marijuana. Representative Mitch Rosenwald, of Oakland Park, filed the legislation (HB 83) on Friday, which will be considered during the upcoming legislative session starting March 4.
Under the proposed bill, government agencies would be prohibited from taking adverse actions against employees or job applicants solely because they use medical marijuana. This includes refusing to hire individuals, firing or demoting employees, or taking any other discriminatory measures.
However, the bill also allows government agencies to take action against employees whose job performance is impaired by the use of medical marijuana. Additionally, law-enforcement agencies would be permitted to develop policies prohibiting the use of marijuana in the workplace.
Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2016, allowing the use of medical marijuana in the state. The proposed bill aims to ensure that government employees and job applicants who use medical marijuana for therapeutic purposes are not unfairly targeted or penalized.
