New York, NY — On Tuesday, April 9, the New York City Council passed two bills in the Progressive Caucus’s #MarijuanaJustice legislative package. Introduction 1427, introduced by Council Members Donovan Richards, prohibits the Department of Probation from conducting drug tests for marijuana. Proposed Introduction 1445-A, introduced by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, prohibits New York City employers from requiring a prospective employee to submit to testing for the presence of any tetrahydrocannabinols (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana, in such prospective employee’s system as a condition of employment. The passage of these bills is an important step in the decriminalization of marijuana and the reduction of collateral consequences, such as job loss and loss of access to subsidized housing and other public benefits.
As legalization is being considered at the state level, the Progressive Caucus #MarijuanaJustice package includes four pieces of legislation and thirteen resolutions developed and sponsored by the Progressive Caucus that express support for ethical legalization that prioritize equity and restitution, reduce the collateral consequences from marijuana criminalization, and promote policies that prioritize the inclusion of communities most harmed by marijuana criminalization.
Press:
- Daily News: https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-city-council-poised-to-bar-marijuana-drug-tests-for-probationers-20190408-rqlyeohrvzbi3n7rxyknuhwo6a-story.html
- NY City Lens: http://nycitylens.com/2019/04/city-council-committee-votes-unanimously-end-drug-testing-prospective-employees/