Bill > AB837

This bill amends California's Controlled Substances Act to add more specific legal restrictions and penalties related to ketamine, which is currently classified as a Schedule III controlled substance. The bill would make it a crime to transport, import, sell, furnish, administer, or give away ketamine without proper authorization, with violations punishable by imprisonment in the county jail for up to one year or three to five years, depending on the specific circumstances. The legislation expands existing criminal statutes to more comprehensively address ketamine distribution and possession, creating new legal definitions for actions like "transports" (which means to transport for sale) and establishing that these prohibitions do not prevent prosecution for related crimes like conspiracy or aiding and abetting. Importantly, the bill includes a provision that no local government reimbursement is required for implementing these new legal restrictions, as they relate to creating or changing criminal penalties. The changes aim to provide law enforcement with clearer guidelines and stronger legal tools for addressing unauthorized ketamine distribution and use.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billStatusClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB837