(As Amended)

"AN ACT CONCERNING THE PENALTY FOR CERTAIN NONVIOLENT DRUG OFFENSES. "

After the last section, add the following and renumber sections and internal references accordingly:

"Sec. 501. (Effective from passage) (a) There is established a task force to study (1) the statutory penalties for possession of a cannabis-type substance, as defined in section 21a-240 of the general statutes, under section 1 of this act and chapter 420b of the general statutes, and (2) the feasibility of enacting legislation to permit the palliative use of marijuana in this state under chapter 420b of the general statutes.

(b) The task force shall consist of the following members:

(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom shall be a physician licensed under the provisions of chapter 370 of the general statutes, selected from a list submitted by the Connecticut Medical Society;

(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom shall be a physician licensed under the provisions of chapter 370 of the general statutes, selected from a list submitted by the Connecticut Medical Society;

(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives;

(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate;

(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives;

(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate;

(7) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary, or their designees; and

(8) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health, or their designees.

(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the General Assembly.

(d) All appointments to the task force shall be made not later than thirty days after the effective date of this section. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.

(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than sixty days after the effective date of this section.

(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary shall serve as administrative staff of the task force.

(g) Not later than January 15, 2012, the task force shall submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it submits such report or January 15, 2012, whichever is later. "