04/11/2012 01:30 PM House FINANCE

CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 140(JUD)                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act classifying certain  substances as schedule IIA                                                                    
     controlled substances and  providing penalties relating                                                                    
     to  those substances;  and providing  for an  effective                                                                    
     date."                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR KEVIN MEYER, SPONSOR,  briefly expressed his reasons                                                                    
for  introducing  the  bill.  He  noted  that  the  City  of                                                                    
Anchorage came to him regarding  the dangers of "bath salts"                                                                    
and  requested help  from the  legislature.  He pointed  out                                                                    
that the drug was a statewide problem.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze wondered what  penalties were prescribed in                                                                    
the  legislation.  Senator  Meyer responded  that  assigning                                                                    
penalties  was difficult.  He noted  that the  substance was                                                                    
legal  for some  time and  that someone  possessing a  small                                                                    
amount  may not  know  that  it was  illegal.  He felt  that                                                                    
making a severe penalty for  possessing a small quantity for                                                                    
a  first  time offense  was  not  justified. He  believed  a                                                                    
felony was warranted for large quantity offenses.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Stoltze commented on  the "made-up" trendy designer                                                                    
drugs. He  remarked that some  "people found ways  to poison                                                                    
kids for a profit." He believed  the premise of the bill was                                                                    
to stop the synthetic drug trade.                                                                                               
Representative  Doogan   had  questioned  earlier   how  the                                                                    
penalties were handled. He decided  it was better to support                                                                    
the bill, and not look for a perfect bill.                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Vice-chair  Fairclough   emphasized  that  the   drugs  were                                                                    
dangerous. She  cited a document  in the bill  packet "Life-                                                                    
threatening  Necrotizing  Fasciitis   Due  to  'Bath  Salts'                                                                    
Injection"(copy on  file). The  article contained  photos of                                                                    
tissue damage in  an arm resulting from  injecting the drug,                                                                    
which  ultimately lead  to amputation.  She related  that no                                                                    
portion of the  drug was safe and hoped that  the news about                                                                    
the  harmful effects  of the  drug was  disseminated to  the                                                                    
general public.  She stressed that  everyone needed  to know                                                                    
the drug was dangerous and life-threatening.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative  Gara pointed  out  that  press coverage  was                                                                    
important to  get the  message out.  He suggested  issuing a                                                                    
press release. He believed the  seller was the most culpable                                                                    
player  and  hoped  that  the  district  attorney  would  be                                                                    
lenient if young people were caught with the drug.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stoltze  concurred  with Representative  Gara.  He                                                                    
thanked Senator Meyer  for the bill. He  recognized the bill                                                                    
was  just  one battle  in  the  war  on designer  drugs  and                                                                    
welcomed future legislation.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Senator Meyer agreed that people  were getting very creative                                                                    
in making and  selling synthetic drugs. He  noted that "bath                                                                    
salts" were  synthetic cocaine. Unfortunately word  gets out                                                                    
to young  people that the drug  was fun. He agreed  the bill                                                                    
will not be the last as new drugs were created.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
2:32:13 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Vice-chair  Fairclough announced  that the  committee zeroed                                                                    
out three  of the previously published  indeterminate fiscal                                                                    
notes from the Department  of Corrections (FN 3), Department                                                                    
of Public  Safety (FN 2),  and Department  of Administration                                                                    
(FN  4).  She noted  the  previously  published zero  fiscal                                                                    
notes from the Department of Law, (FN 1).                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Vice-chair Fairclough  MOVED to report CSSB  140(JUD) out of                                                                    
committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal note(s).                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CSSB  140(JUD) was  REPORTED  out of  committee  with a  "do                                                                    
pass"  recommendation and  with new  zero fiscal  notes from                                                                    
the Department of Corrections, the Department of Public                                                                         
Safety, and Department of Administration, and previously                                                                        
published zero fiscal note: FN1 (LAW).