House Bill No. 6787, as amended by House Amendment Schedule "A," is an act concerning the modification of sentences for certain cannabis-related offenses. The bill mandates that the sentencing court or judge must discharge or modify the sentence of a defendant who is incarcerated solely for specific cannabis-related violations or if the incarceration is a result of such violations along with other crimes. The cannabis-related violations addressed in the bill include the use or possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia related to cannabis, certain activities involving less than or equal to four ounces of cannabis or six plants grown for personal use, and possession of less than or equal to four ounces of a cannabis-type substance.

The bill inserts new legal language into Section 53a-39 of the general statutes, specifying that the court or judge shall discharge the defendant or modify the sentence to remove any period of incarceration for the specified cannabis-related violations. It also includes a deletion that exempts the application of the bill's provisions to any mandatory minimum sentence that cannot be suspended or reduced by the court. The bill's fiscal note indicates potential marginal savings to the Department of Correction if inmate sentences are reduced, with an average annual marginal savings of $2,500 per inmate. House Amendment "A" removes certain provisions from the underlying bill, specifies the cannabis-related offenses for modification, and eliminates deadlines for the court or judge to hold a required hearing.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 51-277c
JUD Joint Favorable Substitute: 51-277c
File No. 651: 51-277c
File No. 813: