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House approves tougher fentanyl-trafficking penalties after heated debate
Summary
The Georgia House passed Senate Bill 79, increasing trafficking penalties tied to fentanyl quantities and adding mandatory minimums; the measure drew sharp debate over mandatory sentencing before passing 131-31 and being sent immediately to the Senate.
The Georgia House of Representatives on March 28, 2025, approved Senate Bill 79, a measure that raises trafficking penalties tied to fentanyl and related substances and establishes enhanced mandatory minimum sentences. The chamber passed the bill 131-31 and then voted 99-62 to immediately transmit the bill to the Senate.
The bill’s sponsors and supporters said the change is needed to address a sharp rise in fentanyl-related deaths. Representative James Burchett, presenting the measure for the House, warned of the drug’s lethality and said the quantities involved can be deadly. “This amount right here would kill everybody in this chamber and in that…
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