On Thursday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed legislation that set mandatory minimum sentences for persons convicted of trafficking in fentanyl.
House Bill 1 (HB1) is sponsored by State Rep. Matt Simpson.
“The entire nation should take note of what we accomplished today in Alabama with the passage of House Bill 1, the bill to help combat the fentanyl crisis,” Ivey said. “Every member of the Legislature – Republican and Democrat – came together to pass this critical piece of legislation.”
“Combatting this deadly drug will continue to be a top priority for our Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and I will do everything in my power to stop this drug from being a killer in Alabama,” Ivey said. “I commend Rep. Matt Simpson for his leadership on this issue, as well as all members of the Alabama Legislature for sending this bill to my desk.”
The Alabama Senate passed HB1 Thursday morning. State Sen. April Weaver carried the bill on the floor of the Senate. The debate was short as the bill was the first on the Senate’s Thursday special order calendar, and there was no opposition. The bill passed 31 to 0.
“This bill deals with fentanyl,” Sen. Weaver said. “We all know that fentanyl is hurting all of our communities.”
“The deaths are going up,” Simpson told reporters. “80% of the overdose deaths in this state are now from fentanyl.”
“If you get caught with fentanyl, you will go to jail,” Simpson said.
Simpson explained to reporters that a criminal who is caught with over 8 grams of fentanyl will get a life sentence.
“One gram can kill over 500 people,” Simpson explained. “This isn’t just a big city problem.”
Simpson explained that his legislation simply updates Alabama’s trafficking law. While that law set trafficking standards for cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and even marijuana, fentanyl was not mentioned in the statute.
“It was the only drug in Alabama where there was no mandatory minimum,” Simpson explained.
Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter expressed his support for the legislation.
“I am elated that was my number one priority bill coming into the session has passed, “Ledbetter said. “The state of Alabama set a message today that if you are caught with it you are going away.”
The votes to pass HB1 were unanimous in both Houses of the Legislature.
“There is no question in the minds of the legislators just how terrible and awful it (fentanyl) is,” said Senate President Pro Tem. Greg Reed. “If you are caught trafficking fentanyl in Alabama, we want you to go to prison and be off the streets.”
Over 107,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in the last 12 months. Alabama has set a new state record high in drug overdose deaths largely due to fentanyl.
“Getting Narcan out there is extremely important,” Simpson said.
Narcan is being used by first responders, schools, churches, and even parents to save the lives of drug overdose victims.
The legislature will meet next Tuesday for the eighth legislative day of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session.
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