WA Bill To Protect Workers' Off-The-Clock Marijuana Use, Personal Weed Cultivation In MO & More Reg Updates

WA Bill To Protect Workers For Over Off-The-Clock Cannabis Use

The bill that would prevent employers from sanctioning their workers who use recreational cannabis outside work hours was filed recently in the Washington State Senate, reported Marijuana Moment.

The Senate Labor & Commerce Committee is scheduled to review the legislation next week. It was pre-filed for the 2023 session last month along with other cannabis-reform measures.

Sen. Karen Keiser's (D) legislation would it unlawful to discriminate against a person in hiring if they used marijuana off the clock.

It also addresses the issue of detection of inactive THC metabolites in the consumer's system for weeks following the use.

"Applicants are much less likely to test positive or be disqualified for the presence of alcohol on a pre-employment screening test compared with cannabis, despite both being legally allowed controlled substances," the bill stipulates. "The legislature intends to prevent restricting job opportunities based on an applicant's past use of cannabis.".

In December, Washington State celebrated the tenth anniversary of legalizing marijuana. One of the cannabis reform measures recently got approval by the King County Council was the legislation sponsored by King County Councilmembers Reagan Dunn and Jeanne Kohl-Welles.

That bill sought to establish a Cannabis Safety Taskforce to help prevent crime targeting marijuana businesses.

Missourians To Apply For Personal Marijuana Cultivation

Anyone 21 and older can apply to grow their own cannabis for personal use after officials opened information and forms to the public on Saturday, reported News-Press NOW.

The move follows the roll-out of Amendment 3 guidelines, more precisely, the recently released application to have sentences for, as per the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' instructions.

Interested individuals over 21 need to pay a $100 fee before the deadline for accepting the applications ends on Feb.6.

"It's just another step in the process of making marijuana legal for adults over the age of 21," said John Payne, campaign manager for Legal Missouri 2022. "Over the next year or so, there's going to be different milestones that happen. But pretty much by the end of 2023, this amendment will be fully implemented, which will be the fastest implementation of an adult use program in the country today."

Missouri voters legalized adult-use cannabis by approving the initiative on last year's November ballot.

NH GOP Lawmakers Still Strongly Oppose Rec Cannabis

Two New Hampshire lawmakers, House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R) and Minority Leader Matt Wilhelm (D) have joined forces to file a bill to legalize recreational cannabis for the 2023 session in December.

The bipartisan measure would allow those over 21 to possess or give away up to 4 ounces of marijuana and also clear records of past marijuana possession offenses. In addition, marijuana sales would be taxed at 8.5%. The bill would also set up a new market with state-approved retailers to sell cannabis.

However, Osborne's colleagues from the other chamber are not thrilled with the idea of legal marijuana use, reported Eagle Times.

During a recent news conference, Senate president Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, revealed his stance on recreational cannabis possession.

"I know that there's some people that probably want to see it legalized and there's some like myself that have never wanted to legalize it and don't intend to for reasons that I think are becoming increasingly clear in terms of safety, in terms of its impact on health," Bradley said.

Senate president Pro Tem James Gray, R-Rochester, highlighted that cannabis is still federally illegal.

"Our oath says that I'll uphold the Constitution and laws of the state of New Hampshire, etcetera, etcetera," he said. "If I'm ignoring one of the federal laws, am I fulfilling my oath?"

New Hampshire's Senate members have already struck down the two previously House-passed bills that would have legalized marijuana in April.

Minnesota To Legalize Rec Cannabis With Dems In Charge

Minnesota lawmakers have high hopes of legalizing marijuana in 2023, following a House bill introduced by Democrats that would allow adults over 21 to buy, sell and use cannabis. The legislation filed on Thursday would also automatically expunge low-level cannabis convictions.

The measure, which will create the Office of Cannabis Management, is scheduled to get its first public hearing on Wednesday, January 11, in the House Commerce Committee.

"Our bill will create a safe, well-regulated legal marketplace where Minnesotans can grow, sell and buy cannabis if they choose to do so," Rep. Zack Stephenson, the bill's co-author said.

Cannabis advocates and shareholders praise the move while also pointing out additional issues that need to be tackled.

Jeff Taylor, CEO of Beezwax, told Kare 11 that more emphasis should be placed on regulated testing of the products.

"Knowing what's in your product, when you're buying something off the street, we know that we have a national problem with drugs and with fentanyl and other things, where if you come to a place like our establishment, we've had COA's done," Taylor said.

In addition, Gov. Tim Walz (D), who also supports cannabis reform, said earlier that legalizing marijuana will be "one of the first" things that will get passed by the incoming state legislature.

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