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HB496 • 2025

Criminal procedure; scent of marijuana, cannabis, or hemp; provide limitations on stops, searches, seizures, or arrests

Criminal procedure; scent of marijuana, cannabis, or hemp; provide limitations on stops, searches, seizures, or arrests

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Clark, Jasmine
Last action
2025-02-20
Official status
House Second Readers
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The provided bill text excerpt is a PDF file structure and contains no readable legal content; all facts are derived solely from the official summary title.

Limits on Police Stops Based Only on the Smell of Marijuana, Cannabis, or Hemp

This bill changes Georgia law to limit police stops, searches, seizures, and arrests when based only on the scent of marijuana, cannabis, or hemp.

What This Bill Does

  • Provides limitations on stops regarding the scent of marijuana, cannabis, or hemp on its own
  • Provides limitations on searches regarding the scent of marijuana, cannabis, or hemp on its own
  • Provides limitations on seizures regarding the scent of marijuana, cannabis, or hemp on its own
  • Provides limitations on arrests regarding the scent of marijuana, cannabis, or hemp on its own
  • Repeals laws that conflict with these new limits

Who It Names or Affects

  • Law enforcement officers in Georgia who make stops, searches, seizures, or arrests
  • People involved in cases where the scent of marijuana, cannabis, or hemp is a factor

Limits and Unknowns

  • The official text does not specify exactly how officers must act if they smell these substances but have other reasons to stop someone.
  • The exact date when this law takes effect is not listed in the provided information.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-20 Georgia General Assembly

    House Second Readers

Official Summary Text

Criminal procedure; scent of marijuana, cannabis, or hemp; provide limitations on stops, searches, seizures, or arrests