Bill > HB1694

This bill establishes a defense to prosecution for certain offenses involving possession of small amounts of controlled substances, marijuana, dangerous drugs, or abusable volatile chemicals, or possession of drug paraphernalia, if the defendant was the first person to request emergency medical assistance in response to a suspected overdose of another person or was the victim of a suspected overdose for which emergency medical assistance was requested. The defense has certain limitations, such as not being available if the defendant has been previously convicted of a related offense or was committing another offense at the time the request for medical assistance was made. The bill also provides that the defense does not preclude the admission of evidence obtained by law enforcement from the request for medical assistance if that evidence pertains to an offense for which the defense is not available.