HB 1396 – AS INTRODUCED
2014 SESSION
05/08
HOUSE BILL 1396
AN ACT relative to the smoking policy at the New Hampshire veterans’ home.
SPONSORS: Rep. Moffett, Merr 9; Rep. Carey, Merr 26; Rep. Notter, Hills 21; Rep. Rollins, Sull 6; Rep. Baldasaro, Rock 5
COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
This bill prohibits the New Hampshire veterans’ home from discriminating in its admissions policy against veterans who smoke. The bill also requires the New Hampshire veterans’ home to study smoking policies at veterans’ homes in other states and propose a policy to accommodate New Hampshire veterans who smoke.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
14-2378
05/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fourteen
AN ACT relative to the smoking policy at the New Hampshire veterans’ home.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Hampshire Veterans’ Home; Admission; Discrimination Against Veterans Who Smoke Prohibited. Amend RSA 119:9 to read as follows:
119:9 Admission. A veteran who desires admission shall make application on forms furnished by the home. Rules relative to admittance or rejection of an applicant, including an appeal process and the accommodation of veterans who smoke, shall be adopted pursuant to RSA 541-A, by the board of managers. The veterans’ home shall not discriminate in its admissions policy against veterans who smoke.
2 New Hampshire Veterans’ Home; Study; Adoption of Smoking Policy.
I. The board of the New Hampshire veterans’ home shall conduct a comprehensive multi-state study of smoking policies at state-funded veterans’ homes. The study shall include:
(a) Review of smoking policies in veterans’ homes in each of the New England states.
(b) Examination of policies currently in effect in other states that prohibit smoking entirely or that permit veterans to smoke in designated indoor and/or outdoor smoking areas, with staff supervision, or any other options related to smoking by residents of a state-funded veterans’ home.
(c) The costs, risks, and benefits associated with each option; and any applicable state and federal regulations governing smoking in veterans’ homes.
II. The board shall make a comprehensive report of its findings and recommendations to the house state-federal relations and veterans affairs committee no later than November 1, 2014.
III. No later than January 31, 2015, the New Hampshire veterans’ home shall adopt a policy to appropriately accommodate veterans who smoke and who otherwise qualify for admission to the home as residents.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.