Senator Proposes DOOBIE Act To End Cannabis Discrimination In Federal Hiring And Security Clearances

U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) introduced the Dismantling Outdated Obstacles and Barriers to Individual Employment or the DOOBIE Act. This bill seeks to modernize federal employment standards by ensuring that past cannabis use no longer serves as an automatic disqualifier for federal jobs or security clearances.

DOOBIE Act Aims to Modernize Federal Hiring

The DOOBIE Act proposes to align federal hiring practices with contemporary societal norms and existing state laws regarding marijuana use. Currently, despite many states legalizing both medical and recreational cannabis, federal applicants can still face rejection based solely on their past use. “This misalignment between evolving state laws, federal guidance, and actual hiring practices has created a barrier for talented individuals seeking federal employment,” said Peters in a press release.

Codifying Cannabis-Use Hiring Guidelines

The legislation aims to codify the guidance issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in 2021, which stated that past marijuana use alone should not disqualify candidates. Peters emphasized the need for clarity in federal hiring, stating, “My bill will take the commonsense step to align federal statutes with existing agency guidance and ensure that talented individuals are not automatically disqualified from service solely due to past marijuana use.”

Ryan Nerney, a legal expert from Tully Rinckey cited by the Federal News Network, said the DOOBIE Act reiterates the current guidelines but also seeks to make them more robust and binding. This clarification is crucial, especially for agencies that still maintain a stringent stance on past cannabis use despite more lenient federal guidelines. Nerney believes that codifying these policies can reduce ambiguity, giving prospective federal employees clearer expectations.

House Supports Similar Cannabis Hiring Reforms

The introduction of the DOOBIE Act follows similar efforts in the House of Representatives, where the bipartisan Cannabis Users Restoration of Eligibility (CURE) Act, introduced by Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-MD) and Nancy Mace (R-SC), aims to prevent agencies from considering past cannabis use during the hiring process.

Read Also: House Bill To Remove Cannabis As Obstacle To Fed Employment Faces Record-Keeping Complications

Upcoming Hearing Set To Address DOOBIE Act

Meanwhile, as cannabis use surpasses daily alcohol consumption in the United States, the federal government’s continued strict stance not only stands out as outdated but also out of step with public sentiment and state laws. The DOOBIE Act will be considered by the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in an upcoming hearing on July 24. If passed, it could help the federal government compete with the private sector for talent by broadening the applicant pool and modernizing hiring practices.

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Image by SD_FlowerPower on Shutterstock.

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