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'Death by distribution' bill clears Senate
An amendment was added in an effort to protect people who call for help after an overdose.
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By Travis Fain, WRAL statehouse reporter.
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Senate backed a new "death by distribution" charge in state law Thursday, giving bipartisan support to hotly debated legislation after an amendment was added to protect people who call for help after an overdose.
Senate Bill 375 would create a felony law enforcement could use to lock up people who sell drugs to people who overdose and die. Prosecutors requested the change, saying current laws don't give them enough tools to crack down on dealers.
Opposition arose from people afraid the new law would be used to charge family and friends of drug users, small-time dealers and people who share drugs, as opposed to the serious drug dealers prosecutors say they want to go after.
Some of that opposition gave way in the Senate after an amendment was added from Sen. Floyd McKissick, D-Durham, saying that anyone who qualifies for limited immunity under the state's good Samaritan law couldn't be prosecuted under the new felony.
The good Samaritan law is meant to encourage people to call for help after a drug overdose by granting them immunity from prosecution.
With the amendment, the bill cleared the Senate 35-14. It heads to the House, which has been working on similar legislation.
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