Governor Glenn Youngkin has signed into law legislation designed to protect public employees who legally use medical marijuana.
Despite vetoing bills to legalize marijuana sales and protect parents who use marijuana legally, Governor Youngkin has signed Senate Bill 391 into law. The measure was passed with overwhelming support in the House of Representatives and Senate, with the vote being 8 to 18 and 30 to 10 respectively.
Under current law “No employer shall discharge, discipline, or discriminate against an employee for such employee’s lawful use of cannabis oil pursuant to a valid written certification issued by a practitioner for the treatment or to eliminate the symptoms of the employee’s diagnosed condition or disease”.
Senate Bill 391 “Amends the provision that prohibits an employer from discriminating against an employee for such employee’s lawful use of cannabis oil pursuant to a valid written certification issued by a practitioner for the treatment or to eliminate the symptoms of the employee’s diagnosed condition or disease, with certain exceptions, by specifying that such use must conform to the laws of the Commonwealth. Such protections extend to the employees of the Commonwealth and other public bodies, except for law enforcement officers.”
This would extend the provision to include public employees such as teachers, firefighters and government officials.
The measure will take effect on January 1.
