H.B. No. 249 Summary

• Provides immunity from arrest, prosecution, or conviction for minor drug possession offenses when a person seeks or obtains medical assistance for themselves or another experiencing a drug overdose emergency.

• Allows courts to consider seeking medical assistance and drug treatment as mitigating factors in sentencing and when enforcing community control or post-release control sanctions for minor drug possession offenses.

• Applies immunity protections only to minor drug possession offenses; evidence may still be used in prosecutions for other crimes or major drug offenses.

• Does not limit law enforcement's authority to investigate other crimes, seize evidence, make arrests, or maintain existing immunities available under prior law.

• Defines "seeking medical assistance" to include 911 calls, contacting peace officers in person or by phone, or transporting/presenting a person to a health care facility.