Providing for a study committee to determine the costs to the state, individuals, and families associated with the enforcement of marijuana laws

This bill provides for a study committee to determine the costs to the state, individuals, and families associated with the enforcement of marijuana laws. The bill directs the department of public safety, in conjunction with the department of corrections and the department of health and human services, to convene a study committee to determine the costs to the state, individuals, and families associated with the enforcement of marijuana laws. The study committee shall be made up of at least one stakeholder from each department. Other stakeholders shall include a representative of the court system, a juvenile court judge, a member from the state public defender’s office, and a representative from the attorney general’s office. The bill directs the study committee to consider the costs to the criminal justice system, from policing through corrections, for the arrest, prosecution, sentencing, and incarceration of marijuana users, dealers, and others involved in the drug infrastructure; the financial effect on individuals with convictions for marijuana offenses; and the financial costs to families impacted by the enforcement of marijuana laws. The study committee shall submit a report detailing its findings and making recommendations to the governor and the general assembly by December 15, 2024.