HARRISBURG –The Senate Judiciary Committee today passed a bill to strengthen the bail determination process for dangerous individuals and help combat the opioid crisis, according to its prime-sponsor, Sen. Devlin Robinson (R-37).
Senate Bill 490, introduced in the previous legislative session as Senate Bill 1120, would prohibit the use of non-monetary bail for the most dangerous individuals, including a person who possesses 10 grams or more of fentanyl, has a history of violent crime, assaults a law enforcement officer or evades arrest on foot.
“It’s unacceptable for dangerous criminals to wander freely in our communities,” Robinson said. “This legislation will ensure proper safeguards are in place to protect our citizens.”
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency reported that fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine and approximately 50 times more potent than heroin. Two milligrams of fentanyl – the amount that fits on the tip of a pencil – is enough to kill an average person. According to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office, an average of 14 Pennsylvanians die every day from a drug overdose.
Robinson encourages those struggling with substance abuse to contact Pennsylvania’s Get Help Now hotline at 1-800-622-HELP.
The bill is part of a larger effort to improve community safety across Pennsylvania. It now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
CONTACT: Allison Dutrey