The New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled a public hearing for March 25 to consider three marijuana-related bills that recently cleared the House of Representatives with strong support.
The hearing will begin at 1:15p.m. in Room 100 of the State House in Concord. The hearing is expected to last several hours.
The bills under review include House Bill 75, which would legalize personal marijuana possession and use for adults; House Bill 196, which provides a path for expungement of certain low-level marijuana offenses; and House Bill 53, which would expand home cultivation rights for medical marijuana patients and caregivers.
House Bill 75, sponsored by Representative Kevin Verville (R), would remove criminal penalties for adults 21 and older who possess or use marijuana and marijuana-infused products, including edibles and concentrates. The bill stops short of creating a regulated retail market, instead focusing solely on decriminalization and legalization for personal use.
House Bill 196, backed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers, would allow individuals with past convictions for possessing up to two ounces of marijuana or five grams of hash to petition the court for annulment. Unless prosecutors object within 14 days—and can provide clear and convincing evidence that the case doesn’t qualify or annulment isn’t in the interest of justice—the court would be required to approve the request.
House Bill 53, introduced by Representatives Wendy Thomas (D), Heath Howard (D), and Jim Kofalt (R), would permit qualified medical marijuana patients and their designated caregivers to cultivate up to three mature plants, three immature plants, and 12 seedlings. The bill passed the House with overwhelming support in a 328 to 42 vote.
If the Senate approves any of the above-mentioned bills, they would move to the desk of Governor Kelly Ayotte for final consideration.
