EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0969*
SENATE BILL 969
E4 5lr2752
CF 5lr2755
By: Howard County Senators
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2025
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Howard County – Department of Fire and Rescue Services – Current and 2
Prospective Employee Medical Cannabis Use 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue 4
Services from taking certain adverse employment actions against an employee or 5
prospective employee solely because of the employee’s or prospective employee’s 6
authorized use of medical cannabis; authorizing the Department to prohibit an 7
employee from working while impaired by cannabis or using cannabis at a certain 8
time; and generally relating to the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue 9
Services. 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Public Safety 12
Section 7–405 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 15
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17
Article – Public Safety 18
7–405. 19
(A) IN THIS SECTION , “DEPARTMENT ” MEANS THE HOWARD COUNTY 20
DEPARTMENT OF FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICES. 21
(B) THE DEPARTMENT MAY NOT FAIL OR REFUSE TO HI RE, DISCHARGE, OR 22
OTHERWISE DISCRIMINA TE AGAINST AN INDIVI DUAL WITH RESPECT TO THE 23 2 SENATE BILL 969
INDIVIDUAL’S COMPENSATION , TERMS, CONDITIONS, OR PRIVILEGES OF 1
EMPLOYMENT SOLELY BECAUSE THE INDIVIDUAL IS: 2
(1) A QUALIFYING PATIENT UNDER TITLE 36, SUBTITLE 3 OF THE 3
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND CANNABIS ARTICLE; OR 4
(2) AUTHORIZED TO USE MEDICAL CANNABIS UNDER THE LAWS OF 5
ANOTHER STATE . 6
(C) THE DEPARTMENT MAY PROHIBIT AN EMPLOYEE FROM: 7
(1) PERFORMING THE EMPLO YEE’S DUTIES WHILE IMPAI RED BY 8
CANNABIS; OR 9
(2) USING CANNABIS WITHI N THE 12 HOURS IMMEDIATELY 10
PRECEDING THE EMPLOYEE ’S SHIFT. 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 12
October 1, 2025. 13