Criminal Justice (Policing)

This bill removes criminal liability for law enforcement officers during encounters with underage individuals regarding alcohol or cannabis possession, unless the officer intentionally discriminated against the person based on race, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity. Currently, officers faced criminal charges for certain enforcement actions (like improper stops or searches) regardless of discriminatory intent. The bill changes this by requiring proof of discriminatory purpose to impose criminal liability. It directly affects law enforcement officers and underage individuals in these specific situations. The policy change clarifies that routine enforcement actions without discriminatory intent will not result in criminal charges.