Senator Friedman has co-sponsored the following bills relative to marijuana policy in the 2019-2020 legislative session:
S1131 An Act relative to the expungement of convictions for marijuana possession
- Summary: This bill would authorize the courts to expunge criminal records for past convictions of possession of up to one ounce of marijuana.
H3537 An Act relative to employment discrimination protections for legal cannabis
- Summary: This bill would make adjustments to the state’s anti-discrimination law to clarify that the mere presence of marijuana metabolites is not cause for employment discrimination decisions.
H3538 An Act relative to employment protections for medical cannabis patients and caregivers
- Summary: In Barbuto v. Advantage Sales and Marketing, LLC, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court protected employees who were qualified patients from termination, relying on language in the 2012 medical marijuana law. When the legislature enacted the aforementioned bill, that language was repealed, erasing the statutory basis for the decision, thus weakening legal protection for patients. This addition fortifies Barbuto by restoring its statutory foundation.