Senate Bill Aims to Codify Loosened Restrictions on Past Marijuana Use in Federal Employment
07/26/2024
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, has introduced legislation to codify the recent loosening of hiring and security clearance restrictions on past marijuana use in federal law.
The Dismantling Outdated Obstacles and Barriers to Individual Employment—or DOOBIE—Act (S. 4711), seeks to make permanent the guidance issued by the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in 2021, which stated that a federal job applicant’s past marijuana use can no longer be the sole factor behind the decision not to hire them and that past marijuana consumption cannot be the only reason behind the denial of a security clearance for federal workers and contractors.
The current policy, while a step in the right direction, could be easily rolled back by a future administration. The DOOBIE Act aims to ensure that the policy change is not just a temporary measure but a permanent fixture in federal law.
The legislation comes at a time when marijuana legalization is gaining momentum across the country. Currently, 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana use, and 38 states have authorized its use for medicinal purposes. The Drug Enforcement Administration is also considering reclassifying cannabis as a Schedule III drug, which would significantly reduce federal restrictions on the drug.
Sen. Peters argues that the current policy puts federal agencies at a disadvantage when competing with private-sector employers for talent. "As we work to build a highly skilled federal workforce, it's crucial that the federal government modernizes its hiring practices to reflect evolving laws and societal norms," he said in a statement.
The DOOBIE Act is seen as a necessary step to align federal statutes with existing agency guidance and to ensure that talented individuals are not automatically disqualified from federal service solely due to past marijuana use. By providing this much-needed clarity for agencies and applicants, the legislation aims to ensure that the federal government can recruit and retain the best and brightest to serve the nation.
However, the legislation does not go as far as to allow current users of marijuana to work for the federal government or obtain security clearances. Marijuana possession and consumption is still a federal crime, and the bill maintains that current users would still be barred from federal employment and denied security clearances.
The introduction of the DOOBIE Act is a significant development in the ongoing debate over marijuana legalization and its impact on federal employment. As the bill makes its way through the legislative process, it will be closely watched by advocates and opponents of marijuana legalization alike.
Reference
The Dismantling Outdated Obstacles and Barriers to Individual Employment—or DOOBIE—Act (S. 4711), seeks to make permanent the guidance issued by the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in 2021, which stated that a federal job applicant’s past marijuana use can no longer be the sole factor behind the decision not to hire them and that past marijuana consumption cannot be the only reason behind the denial of a security clearance for federal workers and contractors.
The current policy, while a step in the right direction, could be easily rolled back by a future administration. The DOOBIE Act aims to ensure that the policy change is not just a temporary measure but a permanent fixture in federal law.
The legislation comes at a time when marijuana legalization is gaining momentum across the country. Currently, 24 states have legalized recreational marijuana use, and 38 states have authorized its use for medicinal purposes. The Drug Enforcement Administration is also considering reclassifying cannabis as a Schedule III drug, which would significantly reduce federal restrictions on the drug.
Sen. Peters argues that the current policy puts federal agencies at a disadvantage when competing with private-sector employers for talent. "As we work to build a highly skilled federal workforce, it's crucial that the federal government modernizes its hiring practices to reflect evolving laws and societal norms," he said in a statement.
The DOOBIE Act is seen as a necessary step to align federal statutes with existing agency guidance and to ensure that talented individuals are not automatically disqualified from federal service solely due to past marijuana use. By providing this much-needed clarity for agencies and applicants, the legislation aims to ensure that the federal government can recruit and retain the best and brightest to serve the nation.
However, the legislation does not go as far as to allow current users of marijuana to work for the federal government or obtain security clearances. Marijuana possession and consumption is still a federal crime, and the bill maintains that current users would still be barred from federal employment and denied security clearances.
The introduction of the DOOBIE Act is a significant development in the ongoing debate over marijuana legalization and its impact on federal employment. As the bill makes its way through the legislative process, it will be closely watched by advocates and opponents of marijuana legalization alike.
Reference
