CT SB00016

Legalizes adult-use cannabis for individuals 21 and older, permitting possession of up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis (no more than 5 grams of concentrate), with a tiered penalty structure for violations: $150–$500 fines for amounts under 2 ounces and a Class B misdemeanor for 2 ounces or more.

Establishes a cannabis licensing framework effective July 1, 2022, creating license categories for producers, cannabis retailers, cannabis product manufacturing facilities (extraction and processing licenses), and cannabis micro businesses, with a minimum age of 18 for licensees and employees and registration fees up to $250.

Creates a nine-member Cannabis Equity Commission (effective upon passage) to promote participation in the cannabis industry by individuals from communities disproportionately harmed by prohibition, with a report due January 1, 2021, recommending equity applicant criteria, expedited licensing, lower fees, access to capital, and reinvestment of tax revenues in impacted census tracts.

Provides for erasure of prior cannabis convictions: individuals convicted on or after October 1, 2015, for possession of 4 ounces or less may petition for record erasure at no fee, while pre-October 2015 convictions for the same offenses are automatically erased by operation of law effective July 1, 2021.

Strengthens impaired driving laws effective April 1, 2022, expanding implied consent to include drug influence evaluations by drug recognition experts, establishing an elevated blood THC threshold of ≥0.5 nanograms for drivers under 21, making DRE testimony admissible as evidence, and extending parallel provisions to boating operations.

Mandates comprehensive consumer and public health protections, including child-resistant packaging, prohibition on products designed to appeal to children, detailed labeling requirements (onset time, allergens, THC per serving, batch numbers), a ban on vitamin E acetate in vaping products, warning labels, and a prohibition on public display of cannabis from rights-of-way.

Grants municipalities authority to prohibit or restrict cannabis retailers through zoning (but not producers or dispensary facilities), while prohibiting local bans on delivery to consumers and barring host community agreements that condition official action on donations from cannabis establishments.

Requires multiple interagency reports: the Department of Consumer Protection on licensing and regulatory frameworks (due January 1, 2021); the Banking and Insurance Commissioners on financial access (due January 1, 2021); a multi-agency public health report (due January 1, 2022); and a study on home cultivation, on-site consumption, and state-run retailers (due January 1, 2023).

Modernizes the controlled substance dealer tax system effective July 1, 2022, replacing the physical stamp/indicia system with documentation-based prepayment due 100% within 30 days prior to possession, valid for 30 days, with civil penalties of 100% of tax due and criminal penalties of up to $10,000 and 6 years imprisonment for violations.

Extends smoking and vaping restrictions to cannabis effective October 1, 2020, prohibiting use in all locations where tobacco is banned—including government buildings, healthcare facilities, restaurants, bars, schools, and child care facilities—and within 25 feet of doorways, operable windows, or air intake vents.