DENVER (KDVR) — A bill heard in the legislature on Monday would hold drug dealers accountable if someone dies of an overdose using their product.
The bill focuses on a number of substances, including methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin.
Senate Bill 23-109 is called the Criminal Penalty Controlled Substance Supplier bill, and it would enact a penalty on the supplier when a person dies as a result of the use of a controlled substance.
Drug dealers could be charged with a level one drug felony.
“If somebody dies, those victims’ families deserve to have justice the victim deserves to have justice, and that’s exactly what we’re trying to seek here with this bill,” said Sen. Byron Pelton, who is sponsoring the bill. “It’s also to target the dealers and get the drugs off the streets.”
‘A lot more overdoses’ than just fentanyl
Last year, Gov. Jared Polis signed a similar law into place that created harsher penalties for the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Pelton said this bill takes it a step further.
“People dying of fentanyl is only solving half the problems. The other half is the rest of the drugs. There’s a lot more overdoses out there,” Pelton said.
If the bill passes out of committee on Monday, it will go to the Senate floor within the next couple of weeks.