MD HB1643

Schools in Maryland (elementary, secondary, and higher education) are prohibited from refusing to hire or discriminating against employees based on their legal use of cannabis outside the workplace, outside work hours, and without using school equipment or property

Safety-sensitive employees are exempt from these protections, defined as those whose impaired performance could cause immediate physical harm to students or others, including transportation and security personnel

Teachers and staff with classroom-based supervision duties are explicitly excluded from the "safety-sensitive" definition, meaning they receive the anti-discrimination protections

Schools retain the right to prohibit cannabis possession or use during work hours, adopt impairment policies, and take adverse action against employees who use cannabis while working

Federal law requirements are preserved, including drug testing mandated for federal funding, federal contracts, or licensing-related benefits; the bill takes effect July 1, 2026