Illinoisans have been legally able to purchase and use cannabis since the state’s adult-use market launched in January 2020, but policy reform has not yet extended to protecting cannabis consumers in the workplace.
That could change under a bill that recently cleared the Illinois House.
House Bill 4116, sponsored by Rep. Bob Morgan, aims to help employees who use medical or adult-use cannabis and who may have to take drug tests that could jeopardize their jobs, according to a local WIFR report.
The legislation would bar employers from firing or taking disciplinary action against employees who use cannabis, as well as from not hiring applicants solely because of their cannabis use, the news outlet reported.
H.B. 4116 does provide exemptions for safety-sensitive positions, according to WIFR, including jobs that require employees to carry a gun, perform emergency services, work around heavy machinery or handle hazardous materials. The legislation would also exempt those who may be at risk of losing a federal contract, the news outlet reported.
“If we’re going to legalize the substance, you should talk about individual liberties and what people want to do on their weekends,” Morgan told WIFR. “We should allow people to make good choices and not be discriminated against in the workplace because of those choices as long as it’s not affecting the workplace.”
H.B. 4116 passed out of the Labor & Commerce Committee on a 15-11 vote, the news outlet reported, and the full House passed the legislation March 3 in a 61-41 vote. It now heads to the Senate for consideration.