Bill Eases Sentencing of Drug Users

A bill authored by Senate Judiciary Chair Ron Latz, DFL-St. Louis Park, that would ease the penalties for drug users while maintaining stiff penalties for drug sellers won the approval of the Senate Judiciary Committee Friday, May 8. The measure lowers mandatory minimum sentences for drug users , alters the drug threshold amounts and creates a new "Drug Kingpin" category to maintain harsh penalties for those pushing drugs.

"Our current statutes are not working to stop the drug crimes in Minnesota," said Latz. "As long as there is a demand, there will be a supply, and we should focus more resources on curbing that demand, treating the addictions or intervening earlier before the addictions become an issue...For those who are entrepreneurs who are really making a living off of feeding those addictions, they need to be put away, and this bill creates that balance," he added.

While several proponents, including county prosecutors, supported the measure, Rich Stanek of the Minnesota Sheriffs' Association cautioned lawmakers. "It's hard for me to believe that you know what's in this bill and support all of its provisions. While there may be some good reason to change Minnesota's sentencing laws, there is no good reason to tie this reform to a drug dealer relief plan," he said.