House Bill No. 313, introduced by Representative Mandie Landry, amends existing employment discrimination laws in Louisiana to provide additional protections for employees and prospective employees of cities, parishes, or municipalities who use medical marijuana. The bill prohibits these employers from imposing negative employment consequences based solely on a positive drug test for marijuana, provided that the individual has been clinically diagnosed with a debilitating medical condition and has a physician's recommendation for therapeutic use. This extension of protections aligns with current law that already applies to state employers.

Additionally, the bill modifies the list of exemptions from these protections by including elected officials of cities, parishes, or municipalities, alongside existing exemptions for emergency medical services, law enforcement, public safety officials, state employees of the horse racing commission, and firefighter services. The amendments aim to ensure that individuals using medical marijuana for legitimate health reasons are not unfairly discriminated against in the workplace while maintaining certain necessary exemptions for public safety roles.

Statutes affected:
HB313 Original: 49:1016(A)
HB313 Engrossed: 49:1016(A)