This bill mandates that the superintendent of the county department of corrections ensures that contracted behavioral health treatment providers use validated screening tools for mental health and substance use disorders. It also requires that, where possible and if security criteria are met, licensed community-based treatment providers and certified recovery support workers are allowed to have contact with individuals in custody to coordinate services for their reentry into the community. The bill includes new paragraphs (VII and VIII) to RSA 30-B:4 to reflect these requirements.

Additionally, the bill defines antisemitism in the context of enforcing anti-discrimination laws related to race, religion, or national origin. It adopts the definition of antisemitism from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) as of May 26, 2016, which is also referenced in Presidential Executive Order Number 13899. This definition is to be considered when assessing whether alleged unlawful conduct was motivated by antisemitic intent. The bill includes a new subdivision (354-A:35 to 354-A:38) to RSA 354-A, outlining the rule of construction for anti-discrimination laws and ensuring that the definition of antisemitism is included in governmental anti-discrimination training and materials. The effective dates for the different sections of the act are contingent upon whether HB 596 of the 2024 regular legislative session becomes law, with the remainder of the act taking effect on January 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 30-B:4
As Amended by the House: 30-B:4
Version adopted by both bodies: 30-B:4
CHAPTERED FINAL VERSION: 30-B:4