Legislation to protect fire and rescue workers from employment penalties for medical marijuana use in Maryland has been scheduled for a public hearing on March 11 in the Senate Finance Committee.
Filed in February by Senator Carl Jackson (D), Senate Bill 1023 would prohibit employers from taking adverse employment actions against fire and rescue public safety employees who are certified medical marijuana patients.
If passed, SB 1023 would protect firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, and other fire and rescue personnel from discrimination based on their legal use of medical marijuana.
Under the legislation, an employer could not discipline, discharge, or otherwise penalize an employee solely for possessing a valid medical marijuana certification or testing positive for marijuana components or metabolites. However, the bill does not prevent employers from prohibiting employees from performing their duties while impaired or from using marijuana within 12 hours before reporting for a work assignment.
The measure includes provisions ensuring compliance with federal regulations, allowing employers to avoid penalties related to federal funding or licensing. If enacted, the law would take effect on October 1, 2025.
A companion measure, House Bill 1408, was filed last month by Delegate Adrian Boafo and currently sits in the Economic Matters Committee.
