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Panel adopts amendments to SB 624 to criminalize adding dangerous non‑human substances to drugs; bill approved 8–6
Summary
A committee adopted two amendments to Senate Bill 624 to target adulteration of controlled substances with substances not for human use and dangerous to people, removed explicit references to xylazine and veterinarians, and passed the bill as amended, 8–6 after debate over penalty stacking and drug checking.
A legislative panel in an executive session adopted two amendments to Senate Bill 624 that narrow the bill to criminalize adulteration of controlled substances with substances not intended for human use and that are dangerous to humans, and removed an explicit reference to xylazine and exceptions for veterinarians. After adopting the changes, the committee voted 8–6 to advance the bill as amended.
The chair opened the session and recognized Representative LaSalle to move the first amendment, 1820h; LaSalle said lawmakers had “been working on this issue for quite some time” and described the amendment as a compromise that pulls earlier work together. The committee adopted that initial amendment unanimously, 14–0.
The chair then moved a second amendment (referred to in committee as 20261841h). “We have taken out the word xylazine specifically, and we have taken out any references to veterinarians,” the chair said, explaining that the change was intended to focus the law “strictly now related only to the adulteration of controlled substances with things that are not to be used in the human body and that are dangerous to humans.”
Representative Scheer strongly opposed the package, arguing that adding multiple felony levels is an ineffective deterrent. “I am pissed off by this and will oppose this,” Scheer said, arguing that years of “penalty stacking” have failed to reduce drug harms. Scheer later said she would support the amendment only if a specific paragraph doubling penalties were removed.
Representative Muse said she agreed with parts of the amendment but raised substantive concerns about specificity and penalties. Muse noted prior action to legalize fentanyl and xylazine test strips and urged policies that allow drug checking as a harm‑reduction tool. “Drug checking has always been a very obvious way to do this,” Muse said, contending that the amendment should more precisely name particularly hazardous adulterants rather than imposing the broadest possible class‑A penalty.
The chair defended the narrower focus of the adopted language as an enhancement distinct from mere penalty stacking, saying the provision targets people who adulterate drugs and deceive buyers with substances that “may kill you,” and argued a separate felony for that conduct is warranted. The chair also said the broad wording was intentional because new harmful substances often appear under different street names.
On the second amendment, the clerk’s roll call recorded an 8–6 vote in favor and the chair announced the amendment adopted. The chair then moved OTPA (ought to pass as amended) with the two adopted amendments; after a second and roll call, the committee approved the bill as amended, 8–6. Committee members who voted yes and no were recorded during roll call.
The chair asked Representative Sherry to assist in preparing committee reports and adjourned the session for the day. The bill will move forward as the committee approved it; next steps include staff preparation of reports and any subsequent floor or cross‑chamber action required by legislative procedure.
