EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*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
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 23, 2022
CHAPTER ______
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 2 HOUSE BILL 1
THE STATE. 1
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the General Assembly 2
determines that the amendment to the Maryland Constitution proposed by Section 1 of this 3
Act affects multiple jurisdictions and that the provisions of Article XIV, § 1 of the Maryland 4
Constitution concerning local approval of constitutional amendments do not apply. 5
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That: 6
(a) The amendment to the Maryland Constitution proposed by Section 1 of this 7
Act shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State at the next general election to be 8
held in November 2022 for adoption or rejection pursuant to Article XIV of the Maryland 9
Constitution. 10
(b) (1) At that general election, the vote on the proposed amendment to the 11
Constitution shall be by ballot, and on each ballot there shall be printed the words “For the 12
Constitutional Amendment” and “Against the Constitutional Amendment”, as now 13
provided by law. 14
(2) At that general election, a question substantially similar to the 15
following shall be submitted to the qualified voters of the State: 16
“Question ___ – Constitutional Amendment 17
Do you favor the legalization of adult–use cannabis in the State of Maryland?”. 18
(c) Immediately after the election, all returns shall be made to the Governor of 19
the vote for and against the proposed amendment, as directed by Article XIV of the 20
Maryland Constitution, and further proceedings had in accordance with Article XIV. 21
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.