New Hampshire 2024 Regular Session

New Hampshire House Bill HB82

Introduced
12/23/22  
Refer
12/23/22  
Report Pass
11/17/23  
Engrossed
2/22/24  

Caption

Relative to employment protection for participants in the therapeutic cannabis program.

Impact

If enacted, HB82 will have significant implications for workplace policies regarding drug screening and the treatment of employees who are medical cannabis patients. The legislation aims to protect individuals from discrimination in hiring and employment practices related to their medical use of cannabis. Employers are expected to implement reasonable accommodations for these patients, fostering a more inclusive work environment. However, it also defines that employers can consider impairment on duty as an undue hardship, creating a balancing act between employee rights and employer obligations.

Summary

House Bill 82 (HB82) in New Hampshire is focused on providing employment protections for participants in the therapeutic cannabis program. Specifically, the bill prohibits employers from refusing to hire or terminating individuals solely based on a positive drug test for cannabis, provided these individuals are qualified patients under the therapeutic cannabis program. The legislation recognizes that having a valid registry identification card equates to a medical condition constituting a disability, thus requiring reasonable accommodations from employers unless undue hardship can be demonstrated.

Contention

Notable points of contention surrounding HB82 include discussions regarding employers' rights to maintain safe work environments versus employees' rights to access medication without fear of job loss. Critics may argue that this bill could complicate workplace drug testing procedures or lead to challenges in maintaining safety standards in certain industries. Furthermore, the bill's financial implications include potential fines for employers who violate its provisions, which some may view as an additional burden on businesses.

Companion Bills

NH HB82

Carry Over Relative to employment protection for participants in the therapeutic cannabis program.

Previously Filed As

NH HB82

Relative to employment protection for participants in the therapeutic cannabis program.

NH HB611

Relative to eligibility criteria for the therapeutic cannabis program and establishing a commission to study state-controlled sales of cannabis and relative to the prohibition on the sale of hemp products containing certain levels of THC.

NH HB48

Relative to employee protections from COVID-19 in the workplace.

NH HB639

Relative to the legalization and regulation of cannabis and making appropriations therefor.

NH HB344

Relative to the home cultivation of cannabis plants and the possession of certain cannabis-infused products.

NH HB544

Legalizing cannabis for retail sale.

NH HB432

Relative to participation in the education freedom accounts program.

NH HB360

An act legalizing cannabis for persons 21 years of age or older.

NH HB107

Relative to employment restrictions for registered sex offenders.

NH SB108

Relative to participation of the New Hampshire public defender program in the state employee health insurance plan.

Similar Bills

NH HB524

Relative to regional greenhouse gas initiative funds.

NH HB418

Relative to eliminating the rebates distributed by the energy efficiency fund.

NH SB68

Relative to municipal host for purposes of limited electrical energy producers.

NH SB56

Relative to payments for restoration of certain jurisdictional resource losses.

NH HB1601

Relative to funding of the NHsaves program

NH HB233

Relative to useful thermal energy under the renewable portfolio standards.

NH HB114

Removing fees and charges for governmental records under the right-to-know law and reinstating potential liability for disclosure of information exempt from disclosure.

NH HB1170

Requiring public benefit and community impact assessments from the department of environmental services.