Tough on Crime

House Republican lawmakers are working hard on legislation to combat Indiana’s illegal drug epidemic, which is wreaking havoc on our communities, creating problems for law enforcement and straining our criminal justice system. Various proposals for new laws to curb illegal drugs are moving through the legislative process, including:

House Bill 1235 would give prosecutors a powerful tool to keep the worst drug dealers behind bars. If passed, a drug dealer convicted of a Level 2 felony for dealing would receive a mandatory sentence of at least 10 years in prison, but could be sentenced up to 30 years.

Under House Bill 1157, drug-related felony convictions would be uploaded to a statewide database, which would trigger a stop-sale alert if the felon attempts to buy medicine containing pseudoephedrine (PSE) without a prescription. PSE is used in various cold, flu and allergy medications and is also used to make meth.

Under House Bill 1390, a consumer could purchase medications containing PSE without a prescription if they have a prior relationship with a pharmacy or purchase a smaller dose. A prescription would only be required in the small number of cases where a person does not have a pre-existing relationship with a pharmacy and refuses the smaller dosage or tamper-resistant options. This works to combat “smurfing,” where persons purchase PSE at multiple stores to skirt individual purchase limits with the intent to sell it to a meth cook.

House Bill 1211 would give prosecutors more tools to convict those who attempt to make meth, and those who cause meth fires.

These bills reflect a strong effort by the House Republicans to find common-sense solutions to the illegal drug epidemic plaguing all areas of our state. If you have questions or input as we continue moving Indiana forward, please contact me at (317) 232-9816 or h76@iga.in.gov.

Sincerely,

State Rep. Wendy McNamara