Bill would protect registered cannabis patients’ firearm rights

New Hampshire law would protect qualifying people from being denied firearm rights because of their participation in the therapeutic cannabis program. It covers qualifying patients, caregivers, and other people lawfully registered under the therapeutic cannabis chapter, and applies to buying, possessing, carrying, or transferring firearms and ammunition. This protection applies under New Hampshire law. The bill proposed taking effect 60 days after passage, but it died on the table before passage.

State and local agencies, employees, and law enforcement officers would be barred from spending resources on, cooperating with, or helping enforce certain federal firearm prohibitions. It covers state and local agencies, employees, and law enforcement officers. The restriction applies to federal prohibitions against firearm possession by qualifying patients who comply with the state program. The bill proposed taking effect 60 days after passage, but it died on the table before passage.

The attorney general would have authority to join or appear in a case, or provide a defense. This authority concerns qualifying patients facing the specified federal prosecution. The case must involve a qualifying patient facing federal prosecution under 18 U.S.C. section 922(g)(3) solely because of lawful participation in the state program. The bill proposed taking effect 60 days after passage, but it died on the table before passage.