The Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee heard SB 76 authored by Sen. Merritt on controlled substances. The bill originally made changes to the weight thresholds for certain controlled substance offenses. It also made Level 2 and Level 3 felonies of dealing in drugs nonsuspendible if the person has a prior unrelated felony conviction other than a felony conviction for a crime involving marijuana, hashish, hash oil, or salvia divinorum.
The bill was amended to only include the provisions for nonsuspendible offenses. The weight thresholds provisions were removed by amendment. Representatives from the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council and the Indiana Attorney General’s office testified in favor of the bill. The Indiana Public Defender’s Council testified against the bill. The amended bill passed 7-2 and was recommitted to Appropriations.
Read the bill at: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/senate/76