PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The Latest on debate over a proposal in Rhode Island to punish drug dealers for fatal overdoses (all times local):
7:15 p.m.
A bill has passed in the Rhode Island House of Representatives to punish drug dealers for fatal overdoses.
The bill, approved Thursday, now goes to the Senate. The Senate has passed a similar bill.
It’s named for Kristen Coutu[1], who died in 2014 of a fentanyl overdose. She thought she was taking heroin.
The man who sold her the drugs was convicted of second-degree murder. Democratic Attorney General Peter Kilmartin’s bill would make it easier to bring those charges and levy up to a lifelong sentence for those convicted.
Medical and community groups say the bill would punish mostly low-level drug dealers and addicts, and hurt efforts to curb the overdose epidemic.
Lawmakers added an amendment to clarify the statute would apply to drug dealers, not to people who shared drugs with a victim.
____
10:30 a.m.Medical professionals are making their last plea in a bid to stop a bill that would punish drug dealers for fatal overdoses.The House is scheduled to vote Thursday on “Kristen[2]’s Law.” The Senate has already passed it.The law is named for Kristen Coutu[3], who died in 2014 of a fentanyl overdose. She thought she was taking heroin.The man who sold her the drugs was convicted of second-degree murder. Democratic Attorney General Peter Kilmartin’s bill would make it easier to levy those charges.Medical groups have argued the bill would punish mostly low-level drug dealers and addicts.Kilmartin says his prosecutors will target predatory traffickers.Two doctors on the governor’s overdose task force responded, saying he should listen to professionals on the front lines of the crisis.Copyright © 2018 The Washington Times, LLC. ...