Newsom Signs Flurry of Cannabis Bills, Including Ban on Employer Discrimination
It would have been unimaginable just 10 years ago, but most employers in the state of California soon won’t be able to discriminate against employees who use marijuana off the job.
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed AB 2188, authored by Assemblymember Bill Quirk (D-Hayward). The bill prohibits most employers from making any employment decisions, including hiring and firing, based on “nonpsychoactive cannabis metabolites” found in hair or urine, which indicate past use. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2024.
AB 2188 does include an exception for the building and construction trades, as well as positions that require a federal government background investigation or security clearance.
The governor signed numerous other cannabis-related bills as well, including SB 1326 (Caballero), which lays the groundwork for California to enter into agreements with other states for cannabis transactions; SB 1186 (Wiener), which prevents cities and counties from banning medical marijuana deliveries; and AB 1706 (Bonta), which ensures automatic sealing of old cannabis-related convictions and provides responsible agencies with clear guidelines for doing so.
Read more about all the cannabis-related bills signed by the governor here.
