Bill Text: CT HB06554 | 2011 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: An Act Concerning Emergency Medical Assistance For Persons Experiencing An Overdose And The Designation Of Certain Synthetic Stimulants As Controlled Substances.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2011-07-13 - Signed by the Governor [HB06554 Detail]
Download: Connecticut-2011-HB06554-Introduced.html
General Assembly |
Raised Bill No. 6554 | ||
January Session, 2011 |
LCO No. 4116 | ||
*04116_______JUD* | |||
Referred to Committee on Judiciary |
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Introduced by: |
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(JUD) |
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AN ACT CONCERNING EMERGENCY MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR PERSONS EXPERIENCING A DRUG OVERDOSE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 21a-279 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2011):
(a) Any person who possesses or has under his control any quantity of any narcotic substance, except as authorized in this chapter, for a first offense, may be imprisoned not more than seven years or be fined not more than fifty thousand dollars, or be both fined and imprisoned; and for a second offense, may be imprisoned not more than fifteen years or be fined not more than one hundred thousand dollars, or be both fined and imprisoned; and for any subsequent offense, may be imprisoned not more than twenty-five years or be fined not more than two hundred fifty thousand dollars, or be both fined and imprisoned.
(b) Any person who possesses or has under his control any quantity of a hallucinogenic substance other than marijuana or four ounces or more of a cannabis-type substance, except as authorized in this chapter, for a first offense, may be imprisoned not more than five years or be fined not more than two thousand dollars or be both fined and imprisoned, and for a subsequent offense may be imprisoned not more than ten years or be fined not more than five thousand dollars or be both fined and imprisoned.
(c) Any person who possesses or has under his control any quantity of any controlled substance other than a narcotic substance, or a hallucinogenic substance other than marijuana or who possesses or has under his control less than four ounces of a cannabis-type substance, except as authorized in this chapter, for a first offense, may be fined not more than one thousand dollars or be imprisoned not more than one year, or be both fined and imprisoned; and for a subsequent offense, may be fined not more than three thousand dollars or be imprisoned not more than five years, or be both fined and imprisoned.
(d) Any person who violates subsection (a), (b) or (c) of this section in or on, or within one thousand five hundred feet of, the real property comprising a public or private elementary or secondary school and who is not enrolled as a student in such school or a licensed child day care center, as defined in section 19a-77, that is identified as a child day care center by a sign posted in a conspicuous place shall be imprisoned for a term of two years, which shall not be suspended and shall be in addition and consecutive to any term of imprisonment imposed for violation of subsection (a), (b) or (c) of this section.
(e) As an alternative to the sentences specified in subsections (a) and (b) and specified for a subsequent offense under subsection (c) of this section, the court may sentence the person to the custody of the Commissioner of Correction for an indeterminate term not to exceed three years or the maximum term specified for the offense, whichever is the lesser, and at any time within such indeterminate term and without regard to any other provision of law regarding minimum term of confinement, the Commissioner of Correction may release the convicted person so sentenced subject to such conditions as he may impose including, but not limited to, supervision by suitable authority. At any time during such indeterminate term, the Commissioner of Correction may revoke any such conditional release in his discretion for violation of the conditions imposed and return the convicted person to a correctional institution.
(f) To the extent that it is possible, medical treatment rather than criminal sanctions shall be afforded individuals who breathe, inhale, sniff or drink the volatile substances defined in subdivision (49) of section 21a-240.
(g) The provisions of subsections (a) to (c), inclusive, of this section shall not apply to any person who (1) in good faith, seeks medical assistance for another person experiencing a drug-related overdose, or (2) experiences a drug-related overdose and, in good faith, seeks medical assistance for himself or herself or for whom another person, in good faith, seeks medical assistance, if evidence of the possession or control of a controlled substance in violation of subsection (a), (b) or (c) of this section was obtained as a result of the seeking of such medical assistance.
Sec. 2. Section 21a-267 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2011):
(a) No person shall use or possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia, as defined in subdivision (20) of section 21a-240, to plant, propagate, cultivate, grow, harvest, manufacture, compound, convert, produce, process, prepare, test, analyze, pack, repack, store, contain or conceal, or to ingest, inhale or otherwise introduce into the human body, any controlled substance as defined in subdivision (9) of section 21a-240. Any person who violates any provision of this subsection shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor.
(b) No person shall deliver, possess with intent to deliver or manufacture with intent to deliver drug paraphernalia knowing, or under circumstances where one reasonably should know, that it will be used to plant, propagate, cultivate, grow, harvest, manufacture, compound, convert, produce, process, prepare, test, analyze, pack, repack, store, contain or conceal, or to ingest, inhale or otherwise introduce into the human body, any controlled substance. Any person who violates any provision of this subsection shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
(c) Any person who violates subsection (a) or (b) of this section in or on, or within one thousand five hundred feet of, the real property comprising a public or private elementary or secondary school and who is not enrolled as a student in such school shall be imprisoned for a term of one year which shall not be suspended and shall be in addition and consecutive to any term of imprisonment imposed for violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this section.
(d) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to any person who (1) in good faith, seeks medical assistance for another person experiencing a drug-related overdose, or (2) experiences a drug-related overdose and, in good faith, seeks medical assistance for himself or herself or for whom another person, in good faith, seeks medical assistance, if evidence of the use or possession of drug paraphernalia in violation of said subsection was obtained as a result of the seeking of such medical assistance.
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: | ||
Section 1 |
October 1, 2011 |
21a-279 |
Sec. 2 |
October 1, 2011 |
21a-267 |
Statement of Purpose:
To prevent deaths due to drug overdoses by encouraging persons to make emergency calls summoning medical assistance without fear that seeking such assistance will lead to a prosecution for the illegal possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]