California Medical Cannabis Bill Headed to Assembly Floor

Bill Would Forbid Employers From Firing Based on Medi-Pot Status

Sacramento, CA: AB 2279, a measure that would protect Californians from being fired from their jobs for their state-licensed medical cannabis use outside of the workplace was approved by the Assembly Labor Committee in a 6-2 vote on April 17th. It will now head to the Assembly floor for a vote in the near future.

The bill seeks to reverse a January California Supreme Court ruling in Ross v. RagingWire that held that an employer may fire someone solely on the basis of their medical cannabis use during non-work hours. In that decision, the Court ruled 5-2 against plaintiff Gary Ross.

The measure would not change existing state law prohibiting medical cannabis consumption at the workplace, and would exempt safety-sensitive positions from the new requirements.

For more information, contact NORML Legal Director Keith Stroup at (202) 486-5500. Constituents in California can write their Assemblymembers in support of this bill at: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=11090156.