HOUSE BILL 65

56th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2024

INTRODUCED BY

Andrea Reeb

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO CANNABIS REGULATION; AMENDING THE CANNABIS REGULATION ACT; REMOVING LIMITATIONS ON WHAT MAY CONSTITUTE REASONABLE SUSPICION OF A CRIME INVOLVING CANNABIS; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 26-2C-25 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2021 (1st S.S.), Chapter 4, Section 25) is amended to read:

     "26-2C-25. PERSONAL USE OF CANNABIS.--

          A. The following conduct is lawful for a person who is twenty-one years of age or older [and shall not constitute grounds for detention, search or arrest of a person or search of property, and cannabis products that relate to the conduct are not contraband or subject to seizure or forfeiture pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act or the Forfeiture Act]:

                (1) possessing, using, being under the influence of, displaying, purchasing, obtaining or transporting not more cannabis than authorized by the Cannabis Regulation Act or the medical cannabis program;

                (2) possessing in excess of two ounces of cannabis, sixteen grams of cannabis extract and eight hundred milligrams of edible cannabis if the excess is stored in the person's private residence and not visible from a public place;

                (3) transferring, without financial consideration, to a person who is twenty-one years of age or older not more than the amount of cannabis lawfully purchased and obtained pursuant to the Cannabis Regulation Act or the medical cannabis program;

                (4) ingesting or otherwise consuming cannabis or cannabis products purchased and obtained pursuant to the Cannabis Regulation Act or the medical cannabis program;

                (5) possessing, using, displaying, purchasing, obtaining or manufacturing cannabis extract using nonvolatile solvents, alcohol or carbon dioxide or no solvents;

                (6) manufacturing, transporting or giving away to a person twenty-one years of age or older cannabis paraphernalia;

                (7) assisting another person who is twenty-one years of age or older in, or allowing property to be used in, any of the acts described in Paragraphs (1) through (6) of this subsection;

                (8) smoking cannabis or cannabis products in an area authorized pursuant to the Cannabis Regulation Act or a local jurisdiction;

                (9) possessing, planting, cultivating, harvesting, drying, manufacturing cannabis products using nonvolatile solvents, alcohol or carbon dioxide or no solvents or transporting not more than six mature cannabis plants and six immature cannabis plants per person; provided that despite a household having multiple residents, no more than twelve mature cannabis plants may be present in one household; and provided further that if the person does not exceed the maximum number of cannabis plants, the person may possess the cannabis produced by the cannabis plants notwithstanding any weight limits; and

                (10) transporting homegrown cannabis or mature or immature cannabis plants when the person is moving the person's residence to another location or for purposes of testing or manufacturing.

          B. Paragraph (6) of Subsection A of this section is intended to meet the requirements of 21 U.S.C. Section 863(f) by authorizing under state law any person in compliance with this section to manufacture, possess or distribute cannabis paraphernalia.

          [C. None of the following shall, individually or in combination with each other, constitute reasonable articulable suspicion of a crime and is not a basis to stop, detain or search a person:

                (1) the odor of cannabis or cannabis extract or of burnt cannabis or cannabis extract;

                (2) the possession of or the suspicion of possession of cannabis without evidence of quantity in excess of two ounces of cannabis, sixteen grams of cannabis extract or eight hundred milligrams of edible cannabis; or

                (3) the possession of multiple containers of cannabis without evidence of quantity in excess of two ounces of cannabis, sixteen grams of cannabis extract or eight hundred milligrams of edible cannabis.]

          C. The odor or mere possession of a cannabis product shall not constitute grounds for a law enforcement officer to stop, detain or search a person or to search property absent reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.

          D. Paragraph (1) of Subsection A [and Subsection C] of this section shall not apply when a law enforcement officer is investigating whether a person is operating a vehicle or [watercraft] motorboat while [intoxicated or] under the influence of [or impaired by alcohol or a] intoxicating liquor or of any drug or any combination thereof in violation of Section 66-8-102 or 66-13-3 NMSA 1978."

     SECTION 2. EMERGENCY.--It is necessary for the public peace, health and safety that this act take effect immediately.

- 5 -