thegreenhand
Bluelight Crew
Governor DeSantis signs bill increasing penalties for fentanyl trafficking
Julie SalomoneWFTS (local ABC Tampa affiliate)
19 May 2022
LAKELAND, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law HB 95 which enhances penalties for the sale and distribution of opioids in Florida including fentanyl.
Governor DeSantis signed the bill in Lakeland next to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd and Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma.
HB 95 implements recommendations of the Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse. Governor DeSantis created the task force in 2019 to develop a statewide strategy to combat the opioid epidemic through education, treatment, prevention, recovery and law enforcement.
"Drug dealers are increasingly lacing other drugs with fentanyl and we've seen it in a wide variety of substances," DeSantis said.
The legislation adds methamphetamine to the list of specified controlled substances and if that substance causes the death of a person, prosecutors may pursue a first degree felony murder charge.
Full article here.