Florida’s senators are pushing for tougher sentences for those who cause fentanyl overdoses, including the death penalty if a supplier is convicted of first-degree murder.
U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott are among the 14 GOP sponsors of the “Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act.”
The bill, if enacted, would make fentanyl distribution a felony murder punishable by either death or life in prison, if that leads to a person’s death.
Rubio is the lead sponsor of the bill, which mirrors a Florida state law Scott signed in 2017 when he was governor.
In recent weeks, prosecutors seem to have shown more willingness to invoke the law in combating fentanyl-related crimes.
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Since July 1, prosecutors in Leon, Marion, Palm Beach, and Pinellas counties have filed murder charges against suspects who allegedly supplied fentanyl to fatal overdose victims.
The Republicans’ pursuit of this bill seems to be a response to President Joe Biden’s unwillingness to police the border.
Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of death among adults 18 to 45.
The CDC reported in May that almost 108,000 Americans died of overdoses in 2021, and roughly 80 percent of those were due to abuse of opioids, including fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is killing Americans at a record high,” Rubio said recently in a prepared statement.
“This deadly drug is widespread throughout our country and has left no community untouched. This bill would make drug dealers pay the price for selling deadly fentanyl.”
In his own statement, Scott added, “People who knowingly distribute lethal fentanyl deserve the strictest sentence possible. For too long, people have suffered addiction and death because of this evil drug that is pouring across [President] Joe Biden’s open southern border.”
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“Fentanyl has skyrocketed to the number one killer of young people, and to put an end to this crisis, strong actions must be taken,”Scott added. “I am proud to join Senator Rubio in standing up for victims of this crisis, and urge the immediate passage of this critically important bill.”
Besides Rubio and Scott, the other sponsors include GOP Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, John Cornyn of Texas, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Mike Braun of Indiana, Ted Cruz of Texas, Josh Hawley of Missouri, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Steve Daines of Montana, and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi.
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