Post: Senators Will Vote On ‘DOOBIE Act’ To Prevent Agencies From Using Past Marijuana Use To Deny Employment And Security Clearances Next Week

A Senate committee has scheduled a vote on a newly filed bill to limit the ability of federal agencies to use past marijuana use as a factor in making employment and security clearance decisions, titled the Dismantling Outdated Obstacles and Barriers to Individual Employment, or DOOBIE, Act.

The measure will receive a markup in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which is chaired by the bill sponsor, Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), next Wednesday.

This represents the latest legislative attempt to ensure that a person’s eligibility for the federal workforce is not negatively impacted just because they’re previously consumed cannabis.

“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,” Peters said in a press release.

“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,” he said . “By providing this much-needed clarity for agencies and applicants, we will ensure that the federal government can recruit and retain the best and brightest to serve our nation.”

The DOOBIE Act, a play on a term used to refer to a marijuana joint, states that covered agencies “may not base a suitability determination with respect to an individual solely on the past use of marijuana by the individual.” The White House Office of Personnel Management (OPM) would also need to adopt that policy.

The bill further says that “the head of a Federal agency may not base a determination that a covered person is ineligible for a security clearance solely on the past use of marijuana by the covered person.” NEWS: I’ve introduced the DOOBIE Act, which would make sure that cannabis use can’t be the sole basis for denying federal employment or a security clearance.

It’s smart, overdue legislation. Now let’s get it passed. pic.twitter.com/bHP7hi4i6Z — Senator Gary Peters (@SenGaryPeters) July 17, 2024 They additionally could not use prior cannabis use to deny a personal identity verification credential, which enables federal workers to access various […]

Senators Will Vote On ‘DOOBIE Act’ To Prevent Agencies From Using Past Marijuana Use To Deny Employment And Security Clearances Next Week