The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard HB 1186 on synthetic drug crimes authored by Rep. Negele. The bill makes possessing or dealing in a substance that is a controlled substance analog an offense of the same level as possession of or dealing in the controlled substance of which the substance is an analog, defines “substance represented to be a controlled substance” and establishes certain factors the trier of fact may consider to determine if a substance meets the definition. The bill also repeals crimes concerning synthetic drug lookalike substances and provides that convictions for synthetic drug offenses will, in certain cases, no longer be treated the same as marijuana offenses.
Testimony was presented in support of the bill by a Prosecuting Attorney representative and the Office of the Attorney General. Opposing testimony was presented by the Office of the Public Defender. The bill was passed on a vote of 11-2.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1186.