Bill > HB05736

This bill proposes to modify existing Connecticut state law (specifically section 54-33p of the general statutes) to allow law enforcement officers to once again use the smell of cannabis as justification for conducting a motor vehicle stop or search. The bill appears to be reversing a previous legal restriction that had prohibited using cannabis odor as probable cause for investigatory actions. By restoring this ability, law enforcement would regain the authority to initiate a stop or search of a vehicle or its occupants if an officer detects the smell of cannabis. This change could potentially expand police discretion in traffic enforcement and searches, effectively providing officers with a legal basis for further investigation based on the perceived presence of cannabis through olfactory evidence. The bill aims to reinstate a law enforcement tool that may have been previously limited by recent cannabis-related legal reforms.

Justice

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=HB05736&which_year=2025