CALIFORNIA, USA — A legislative package named "Working Together for a Safer California" aims to address fentanyl overdoses and retail theft in California.
“110 Californians are dying every single week from fentanyl overdoses in California. Most of those overdoses are ages 18-24,” California Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a state-run operation led to the record seizure of about 62,000 pounds of fentanyl last year.
“This is impacting the young kids in our communities. Many of them don't know that fentanyl is as deadly as it is,” Jones said, adding, “This fentanyl crisis right now is putting our first responders, our police officers, sheriff's deputies and firefighters at risk."
The package of bills call for a wide range of changes, from increasing access to treatment, to the prevention of trafficking of Xylazine, which is a powerful tranquilizer that has been mixed with fentanyl to make it stronger and deadlier.
“While the intent of this legislation might be to do good, it's really more just kicking the can down the road. There's nothing here that addresses the supply of this deadly drug and the need to hold accountable those who are poisoning our communities,” Matt Capelouto said.
Capelouto knows the heartache of losing a loved one to fentanyl. His daughter Alexandra died in 2019 due to fentanyl poisoning. Matt is an outspoken supporter of state bill 44, also known as Alexandra’s law, named after his daughter. The bill aimed to strengthen penalties for fentanyl dealers but it stalled in the state capitol.
“It's not rocket science. It comes down to two things: education and accountability,” Capelouto said.
Capelouto explained his thoughts on whether this package of new bills addresses the larger issues of the fentanyl crisis.
“This legislation that I see them trying to pass, it's really neither. It doesn't address this from a supply or a demand side, it's just giving somebody the ability to continue to do drugs,” Capelouto said.
This package also includes bills to address retail theft by targeting stolen goods on online marketplaces. It requires that third-party sellers be certified, and bans sellers suspected of criminal activity from operating through these online marketplace platforms.
Senator Jones said these bills will soon be presented to the rules committee for approval.
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