Drug violation bill counterproductive

The Utah House approved a drug violation offender bill Thursday but only after several legislators said it was counterproductive, claiming it lets prosecutors charge a repeat offender more harshly while other bills call for rehabilitation of drug addicts.

HB55 passed 46-26 and goes to the Senate.

Sponsor Rep. Brad Dee, R-Ogden, said the bill allows prosecutors to charge an enhancement offense if a person convicted of drug production, distribution or possession is convicted of a second offense of possession within six months.

But this session will consider a drug rehabilitation bill that will pump $6 million more into drug courts and other programs aimed at helping drug addicts who rob, burglarize and sell controlled substances to feed their habits.

"This is the antithesis of DORA (the drug rehabilitation bill)," said Rep. LaVarr Christensen, R-Draper. "It is the philosophical opposite. We're going in two different directions here" by providing a mechanism to lock drug violators up for even longer sentences."