Legislation to toughen penalties for importing or trafficking in fentanyl is headed to the Kentucky House floor. It emerged from the Judiciary Committee Wednesday. Under the measure, offenders must serve at least 80% of their sentence. 22-year-old Dalton Bishop of Glasgow died in 2020. His mother Rita Bishop testified in support of the bill. She said her son thought he was taking oxycodone.
“His autopsy showed us that that half a pill he took was a hundred percent fentanyl. Yes, our son made a mistake, but he had no idea what he was getting from a friend would kill him. I don’t consider his death an overdose. He was poisoned,” said Bishop.
Kunga Njuguna with the ACLU of Kentucky testified in opposition to the bill.
“Enhanced penalties don’t work. They don’t work. Only treatment does that. That is what we need to be focusing on,” said Njuguna.
An Official with the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy noted drug traffickers are not aware of increased penalties.
