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Bill would ban workers comp medical marijuana coverage

Posted On: Jan. 18, 2017 2:22 PM CST

Medical marijuana

A bill set before the North Dakota Legislature this month would prohibit coverage for medical marijuana under the state’s workers compensation program. 

House Bill 1156 was the subject of a committee hearing on Monday, two months after voters in North Dakota approved the use of medical cannabis. As of Wednesday, the bill remains in committee. 

State Rep. George Keiser, R-Bismark, and Sen. Jerry Klein, R-Fessenden, introduced the bill on Jan. 3. 

The proposed law would amend the state’s workers comp code to include medical marijuana among the items that employers insured by North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance are not permitted to cover. It also would prohibit payments related to wage loss if it is connected to the use of medical marijuana.  

North Dakota Workforce Safety & Insurance is the state’s monopoly workers comp insurer.