We supported an important bill which would reclassify the simple possession of drugs from a felony to a misdemeanor offense. The implications of a felony offense in contrast to a misdemeanor are severe and can impact the ability for an individual to access employment, housing, and other support services which may be necessary for their rehabilitation. This legislation would better ensure that individuals experiencing substance use disorder have the appropriate opportunity to access the resources they need. As the criminalization of drugs has had a disproportionate impact on the marginalized, and particularly BIPOC, communities, this legislation is also an important piece of racial justice policy.

We further supported other legislation (S 65) which would decriminalize buprenorphine, a drug used to treat opiate addiction. A second bill introduced to address decriminalization (H 6083 A & S 188) was introduced on behalf of the Attorney General, which imposed an arbitrary ten gram limit on possession charges which would classify as a misdemeanor rather than a felony. Unfortunately, legislative committees are supporting this Attorney General bill - which additionally creates a slew of new drug-related crimes, some of which carry penalties of a possible life sentence -  rather than H 5384.

Sponsors

Representative Camille Vella-Wilkinson

Status

Held for Further Study

Session

2021

Bill number

Position

Support