Dear ASA Supporter,
Yesterday, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) scored a victory for patients’ rights, as the California Assembly Judiciary Committee approved our medical marijuana employment rights bill. AB 2279, authored by Assemblymember Mark Leno and sponsored by ASA, would protect the rights of hundreds of thousands of medical marijuana patients in California from employment discrimination.
This fight is not over – please donate today to end patient discrimination and protect patients’ jobs!
ASA began working with Assemblyman Leno last year to write this legislation in case of an adverse ruling from the California Supreme Court in Ross v. Ragingwire Telecommunications. It is a good thing that we were ready, because in February, the court ruled that Proposition 215 did not provide protection from employment discrimination – leaving hundreds of thousands of legal patients in jeopardy. In a show of support for working patients, Assemblymember Leno introduced AB 2279 on the same day the court ruled.
Approval from the Committee on Judiciary was our first big legislative test. ASA staff helped recruit important endorsements, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the National Lawyers Guild, and several HIV/AIDS advocacy organizations. ASA staff also visited every member of the committee to be sure they understood the bill and to encourage their support. Then, we briefed and trained Supreme Court plaintiff Gary Ross to tell his story in person to the committee. ASA's Chief Counsel Joe Elford also testified before the committee and responded to several complex legal questions from the committee members.
This time consuming work paid off yesterday, as the committee passed the bill on a 6-3 vote. Assemblymember Leno and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee Dave Jones both made strong statements at the hearing in support of the bill and in support of medical marijuana patients’ rights.
Though we’ve passed this first hurdle, we have more hurdles to clear before AB 2279 becomes law. Next week, we’ll go before the Assembly Labor Committee. Then it’s on to the Assembly Floor, the Senate, and finally to the Governor’s desk. Please donate today to help make this work possible.
We have our work cut out for us, but with your support, we can advance state law to protect medical marijuana patients’ rights to work. Please donate $50, $100 or more today to support our continued efforts in Sacramento.
Thank you in advance for your generosity,
Rebecca Saltzman
Chief of Staff
Americans for Safe Access
P.S. For more information about ASA's employment rights bill, please visit www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/AB2279.
Yesterday, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) scored a victory for patients’ rights, as the California Assembly Judiciary Committee approved our medical marijuana employment rights bill. AB 2279, authored by Assemblymember Mark Leno and sponsored by ASA, would protect the rights of hundreds of thousands of medical marijuana patients in California from employment discrimination.
This fight is not over – please donate today to end patient discrimination and protect patients’ jobs!
ASA began working with Assemblyman Leno last year to write this legislation in case of an adverse ruling from the California Supreme Court in Ross v. Ragingwire Telecommunications. It is a good thing that we were ready, because in February, the court ruled that Proposition 215 did not provide protection from employment discrimination – leaving hundreds of thousands of legal patients in jeopardy. In a show of support for working patients, Assemblymember Leno introduced AB 2279 on the same day the court ruled.
Approval from the Committee on Judiciary was our first big legislative test. ASA staff helped recruit important endorsements, including the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the National Lawyers Guild, and several HIV/AIDS advocacy organizations. ASA staff also visited every member of the committee to be sure they understood the bill and to encourage their support. Then, we briefed and trained Supreme Court plaintiff Gary Ross to tell his story in person to the committee. ASA's Chief Counsel Joe Elford also testified before the committee and responded to several complex legal questions from the committee members.
This time consuming work paid off yesterday, as the committee passed the bill on a 6-3 vote. Assemblymember Leno and Chairman of the Judiciary Committee Dave Jones both made strong statements at the hearing in support of the bill and in support of medical marijuana patients’ rights.
Though we’ve passed this first hurdle, we have more hurdles to clear before AB 2279 becomes law. Next week, we’ll go before the Assembly Labor Committee. Then it’s on to the Assembly Floor, the Senate, and finally to the Governor’s desk. Please donate today to help make this work possible.
We have our work cut out for us, but with your support, we can advance state law to protect medical marijuana patients’ rights to work. Please donate $50, $100 or more today to support our continued efforts in Sacramento.
Thank you in advance for your generosity,
Rebecca Saltzman
Chief of Staff
Americans for Safe Access
P.S. For more information about ASA's employment rights bill, please visit www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org/AB2279.
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Los Angeles
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