Georgia poised to tighten penalties for laced drugs
ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - The House and Senate unanimously approved SB 465, otherwise known as “Austin’s Law.” The bill now heads to the Gov. Brian Kemp’s for his signature.
of the General Assembly were moved to tears during the bill’s age.
Gus and Beth Walters, Austin’s parents, were in the chamber for the vote. The House and Senate all stood when they were announced.
“He loved the outdoors, he loved to cook. He was an All-American guy. Life to him was just so wonderful,” said Gus.
For two years, the Walters worked with state Sen. Russ Goodman on Austin’s Law. Austin suffered from depression and anxiety. He thought he was taking a Percocet, but it was laced with Fentanyl. He died at just 30 years old.
“You are playing Russian Roulette if you are taking a pill not prescribed to you,” said Beth.
They said they went through Austin’s phone and found the name of the person who sold him the pill, the text messages, and the Venmo transaction and brought that information to the police.
“They looked at us and said it’s not going to be more than a misdemeanor and I thought, I just buried my child, and it’s only a misdemeanor,” said Beth.
GEORGIA CAPITOL COVERAGE:
Georgia lawmakers put in long days as end of session nears
There’s a mad dash underway at the Georgia Capitol. Lawmakers only have a handful of working days left to legislation.
Ga. elections chief requests funding for more audits
Brad Raffensperger says election security is his top priority and he wants all Georgians to have full confidence in their elections.
School voucher bill es in Ga. House by a narrow margin
The Georgia House narrowly ed a controversial bill to use state dollars to pay for a portion of a private school for kids in low-performing schools.
Georgia Senate es bill to loosen hospital permit rules
Ga. Senate s loosening hospital permits as Democrats make a last-ditch attempt to expand health care coverage for lower-income adults.
Legislature votes to limit Ga. lawsuits over truck crashes
The ability of people to sue insurance companies directly after trucking crashes would be limited under a bill receiving final age.
Ga. bill would impose harsher penalties for ‘swatting’ calls
Georgia elected officials were targeted by prank calls to emergency services to prompt a response. Now they're fighting back.
Ga. lawmakers are working to boost rural hospitals
Twenty-six percent of Georgians live in rural counties, yet nine rural hospitals have closed in Georgia since 2010. That could be a problem.
Georgia lawmakers divided over limiting foreign land ownership
Legislation that would ban some citizens of China from owning farmland in Georgia is advancing at the state Capitol despite criticism from some.
The bill requires that the person providing the drugs “intentionally manufacture, deliver, distribute or sell a substance that is a controlled substance, counterfeit substance, or imitation controlled substance.”
The bill states that the defendant’s knowledge of the chemical identity should not be an essential element of the offense. It states the state has no burden to prove the alleged drug dealer knew the chemical identity, either.
The punishment for these new offenses would be a felony with a prison sentence of 10 to 30 years, which could not be merged with any other offense.
“He’s thinking I’m so proud of you Mom, you did it. I’m proud of you Dad, you did it. He loved life too much to die, if he knew something was in that pill, you and I wouldn’t be talking right now,” said Beth.
“I know that he is proud of us right now because we will help people continue to live because of what happened to him and flip it around,” said Gus.
Copyright 2024 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
