Today, Senate Bill 299 was passed through its second reading in the Maryland Senate, moving one step closer to becoming law. A third and final reading is expected soon.
The legislation, introduced on January 10 by State Senators Mary Carozza (R) and Brian Feldman (D), would eliminate certain background check requirements for security guards working in the state’s legal marijuana industry. Specifically, the bill would remove the mandate for state and national criminal history records checks for security guards employed by marijuana businesses, as long as they are already authorized under Maryland’s existing security guard regulations.
Under current law, all marijuana agents, including security personnel, must register with the Maryland Cannabis Administration and undergo background checks that can cause issues due to marijuana’s federal status.
The proposed legislation, which would take effect on October 1 if enacted, would amend state law to allow security guards working for marijuana businesses or licensed security agencies to bypass this process if they are already authorized under Title 19, Subtitle 4 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article.
Maryland voters approved marijuana legalization via a ballot measure in November 2022, with the law officially taking effect on July 1, 2023. Since then, the state has developed a regulated retail market, permitting adults 21 and older to possess up to 1.5 ounces of marijuana and cultivate up to two plants per household.
