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Minutes for SB414 - Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice
Short Title
Increasing the criminal penalties for unlawful distribution of fentanyl-related controlled substances.
Minutes Content for Tue, Mar 5, 2024
The Chair opened the hearing on SB414. Natalie Scott provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 1)
Ed Klumpp testified in support of the bill on behalf of the Kansas Sheriffs' Association, the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Kansas Peace Officers Association. He said their organizations initiated SB414 to address the nationwide fentanyl issue from the supply chain side and this bill targets the distributors who are the supply chain providing access to these deadly drugs to Kansans. (Attachment 2)
Stephen Howe, Johnson County District Attorney testified in support of the bill. He said the explosion of fentanyl across this country has had a significant impact in Kansas communities and provided some data points in his written testimony. This drug is unique because of the level of lethality it has to the users of this drug. The current Kansas criminal penalties for dealers are not consistent with this higher level of lethality and methods used to sell this drug. (Attachment 3)
Written only proponent testimony was submitted by Robert Stuart, Executive Officer, Kansas Bureau of Investigation. (Attachment 4)
There was no neutral testimony.
Written only opponent testimony was submitted by:
- Representative Brett Fairchild, District #113, Kansas House of Representatives (Attachment 5)
- James Houston Bales, Legislative Committee, Kansas State Board of Indigents' Defense Services (Attachment 6)
- Karen O'Keefe, Director of State Policies, Marijuana Policy Project (Attachment 7)
- Timothy Tarkelly, Legislative Director, Libertarian Party of Kansas (Attachment 8)
- Rashane Hamby, Director of Policy and Research, American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas (Attachment 9)
- Cheryl Kumberg, Board Member, Planted Association of Kansas (Attachment 10)
- Kelly Rippel, Kansans for Hemp, Planted Association of Kansas (Attachment 11)
The Chair closed the hearing on SB414. The meeting was adjourned at 2:16 PM.
