Des Moines, Iowa — The governor has signed a bill into law that will increase the penalties for those convicted of making, possessing or selling heroin to be the same as for similar crimes involving meth.
Representative Ross Paustian is a Republican from Walcott.
Representative Kristin Sunde, a Democrat from West Des Moines, says heroin is particularly problematic right now, especially when it’s laced with fentanyl.
The bill would make those caught with 100 grams or more of heroin eligible for a 50 year prison sentence. Under current law, someone would have to be caught with ten times that much, at least a kilogram of heroin, to get that stiff a sentence. Twenty-five Democrats in the legislature opposed the bill. Representative Ras Smith of Waterloo says more work must be done to reduce heroin use.
Representative Ako Abdul-Samad, a Democrat from Des Moines, says putting a serious dent in the heroin trade requires treatment for addicts.
The bill passed the House and Senate in March and will go into effect on July 1st. It was among 26 bills Governor Kim Reynolds approved Monday.
