SESSION WATCH
Died SENATE · SESSION 2026

No. SB 1702

Employer Immunity from Civil Liability
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SPONSOR
Martin
FILED BY
Jonathan Martin — District 33, Republican [search donations]
EFFECTIVE
7/1/2026
DIED IN
Judiciary

Filed under Healthcare.

PROVIDED SUMMARY

Employer Immunity from Civil Liability; Providing employers with immunity from civil liability for actions taken against a current or prospective employee under certain circumstances, etc.

Full bill text →

Plain English Summary

AI-GENERATED
Grants employers civil immunity for acting on employees' impairing marijuana use.

An employer that disciplines, fires, or refuses to hire someone over marijuana possession or use is immune from civil liability, but only if that marijuana use also impairs the person's ability to do the job.

Immunity also requires either that the marijuana possession or use happened at a workplace site, or that the person tested positive on a drug test done under the state's drug-testing law, s. 112.0455.

The provision covers job applicants as well as current employees, so it applies to a decision not to hire someone, not only to disciplinary action against someone already on the payroll.

KEY PROVISIONS
§ 1 New civil immunity for marijuana-related employment actions majors. 381.986(16)

AICreates subsection 381.986(16), immunizing an employer from civil liability for taking action against a current or prospective employee based on that person's possession or use of marijuana, subject to the conditions in the same subsection.

“An employer that takes action against a current or prospective employee based on the employee's possession or use of marijuana is immune from civil liability” bill text, line 16 →
§ 2 Immunity requires proof of job impairment, not just marijuana use majors. 381.986(16)(b)

AILimits the immunity so it applies only when the marijuana use also impairs the person's ability to perform the job, in addition to the workplace-site or positive-test condition, meaning marijuana use alone is not enough to trigger it.

“The use of marijuana impairs the employee's ability to perform his or her employment duties or responsibilities” bill text, line 25 →
§ 3 On-site possession or use alone can satisfy the trigger moderates. 381.986(16)(a)

AILets an employer establish the first condition for immunity through on-site possession or use of marijuana directly, as an alternative to relying on a positive drug test.

“The possession or use of marijuana occurs on a workplace site” bill text, line 20 →
TIMELINE
3/13/2026
Died in Judiciary
1/22/2026
Introduced
1/16/2026
Referred to Judiciary; Appropriations; Rules
1/9/2026
Filed
STATUTES IT CHANGES
s. 381.986
+90 / −0
s. 381.986
+0 / −0