Oregon’s Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek on Monday signed into legislation a invoice that recriminalizes the possession of small quantities of medication, ending a first-in-the-nation experiment with decriminalization that was hobbled by implementation points.
The brand new legislation rolls again a 2020 voter-approved measure by making so-called private use possession a misdemeanor punishable by as much as six months in jail. It additionally establishes methods for therapy to be supplied as a substitute for prison penalties by encouraging legislation enforcement businesses to create deflection packages that may divert folks to habit and psychological well being providers as an alternative of the prison justice system.
In a signing letter, Kotek mentioned the legislation’s success will rely on “deep coordination” between courts, police, prosecutors, protection attorneys and native psychological well being suppliers, describing them as “necessary partners to achieve the vision for this legislation.”
Measure 110, accredited by voters with 58% help in 2020, made the non-public use possession of illicit medication corresponding to heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine solely punishable by a ticket and a most wonderful of $100. Supporters mentioned therapy is simpler than jail in serving to folks overcome habit and that the decadeslong strategy of arresting folks for possessing and utilizing medication hasn’t labored.
The legislation directed a whole lot of thousands and thousands of {dollars} of the state’s hashish tax income towards habit providers. However the cash was sluggish to get out the door and well being authorities, already grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, struggled to face up the brand new therapy system, state auditors found. On the similar time, the fentanyl disaster started to spark a rise in lethal overdoses.
These pressures prompted Oregon Democrats to shift their stance on decriminalization coverage in latest months.
Some who traditionally supported the measure voted for the brand new legislation throughout this 12 months’s brief legislative session. Whereas different Democratic lawmakers opposed the measure, involved it will end in extra arrests and exacerbate social inequities, it in the end handed the Democrat-controlled Legislature final month.
GOP leaders had lengthy sought to overtake Measure 110. After Kotek’s signing, Home Minority Chief Jeff Helfrich mentioned the legislation illustrated how Republicans “stood united and forced Democrats” to revive prison penalties.
The adjustments take impact Sept. 1.
