Previous Story
Bill seeks to removes marijuana from pre-employment drug test
Diego Vincent F. Camacho
Rep. Diego Vincent F. Camacho (D-Saipan) has introduced a bill that seeks to remove marijuana from all pre-employment drug testing for government applicants—with certain exceptions.
Under Camacho’s House Bill 23-50, pre-employment testing of persons applying for any position within the CNMI government shall not include testing for the presence of marijuana.
The exceptions, however, are applicants for government jobs in safety sensitive positions such as those operating motor vehicles, heavy machinery, emergency services, or the carrying of firearms.
Camacho states in the legislation that marijuana, which is no longer an illegal drug under the CNMI law, should not be included in the pre-employment testing for prospective employees, except for specific employees like law enforcement officers, firefighters, first responders, employees in safety sensitive positions, and federally funded employees.
However, the lawmaker said, employees should still be subject to reasonable suspicion testing and post-accident testing to comply with the policy that employees shall not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs when at work.
Several other representatives co-sponsored the bill.
