Georgia House tightens fentanyl trafficking penalties after heated debate over mandatory minimums

The Georgia House on Friday approved Senate Bill 79, increasing penalties for fentanyl trafficking and raising mandatory minimum sentences for larger quantities of the synthetic opioid, voting 131-31.

Supporters framed the bill as a public‑safety response to a sharp rise in fentanyl deaths and large drug seizures they said show organized traffickers are bringing lethal quantities into Georgia. “This amount right here would kill everybody in this chamber,” Representative James Burchett said, holding up a prop while describing how small quantities of fentanyl can be deadly. Burchett, who presented the bill, said penalties rise with weight and include mandatory minimum terms of years in prison for higher weights, with a limited provision allowing departure from the minimum in narrow circumstances.

Opponents chiefly…