Drug-free-zones bill advances in the House

School playgrounds and churches could carry more weight in the drug war.

A bill to reduce drug-free zones from 1,000 feet to 500 feet and to remove places such as parking plazas passed the House Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Committee 7-1 Tuesday. Ideally, the revised zones will restore the focus on protecting the children in the places they most frequently congregate, said the sponsor of HB231, Rep. Wayne Harper, R-West Jordan.

Since the drug-free zones were created in the 1980s, they have been "diluted" by expanded definitions that have made entire cities drug-free zones, Harper said. The zones carry higher penalties for drug possession or transactions.

"My intent is to bring the focus back to the areas where children congregate," Harper said. "We want these to be zero-tolerance areas."