EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0001*
HOUSE BILL 1
E1, C2, J1 CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT 2lr0381
(PRE–FILED)
By: Delegate Clippinger
Requested: August 12, 2021
Introduced and read first time: January 12, 2022
Assigned to: Judiciary
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Constitutional Amendment – Cannabis – Adult Use and Possession 2
FOR the purpose of establishing that, on or after a certain date, an individual in the State 3
who is at least a certain age may use and possess cannabis. 4
BY proposing an addition to the Maryland Constitution 5
New Article XX – Cannabis 6
Section 1 7
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 8
(Three–fifths of all the members elected to each of the two Houses concurring), That it be 9
proposed that the Maryland Constitution read as follows: 10
ARTICLE XX – CANNABIS 11
1. 12
(A) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION , ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 13
2023, AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE STATE WHO IS AT LEAST 21 YEARS OLD MAY USE AN D 14
POSSESS CANNABIS . 15
(B) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL , BY LAW, PROVIDE FOR THE USE, 16
DISTRIBUTION, POSSESSION, REGULATION , AND TAXATION OF CANNABIS WITHIN 17
THE STATE. 18
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the General Assembly 19
determines that the amendment to the Maryland Constitution proposed by Section 1 of this 20
Act affects multiple jurisdictions and that the provisions of Article XIV, § 1 of the Maryland 21
Constitution concerning local approval of constitutional amendments do not apply. 22 2 HOUSE BILL 1
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 1
(a) The amendment to the Maryland Constitution proposed by Section 1 of this 2
Act shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at the next general election to be 3
held in November 2022 for adoption or rejection pursuant to Article XIV of the Maryland 4
Constitution. 5
(b) (1) At that general election, the vote on the proposed amendment to the 6
Constitution shall be by ballot, and on each ballot there shall be printed the words “For the 7
Constitutional Amendment” and “Against the Constitutional Amendment”, as now 8
provided by law. 9
(2) At that general election, a question substantially similar to the 10
following shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State: 11
“Question ___ – Constitutional Amendment 12
Do you favor the legalization of adult–use cannabis in the State of Maryland?”. 13
(c) Immediately after the election, all returns shall be made to the Governor of 14
the vote for and against the proposed amendment, as directed by Article XIV of the 15
Maryland Constitution, and further proceedings had in accordance with Article XIV. 16