Gov. Kelly signs Childhood Sexual Abuse Reform bill into law
18 April 2023
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNW) — Many lawmakers in Topeka are working hard to decriminalize fentanyl test strips. House Bill 2390 recently passed with a unanimous vote, but a Senate committee gutted it.
The House Committee on Corrections and Juvenile Justice bundled policies, including decriminalizing fentanyl test strips and increasing penalties for fentanyl manufacturing and distribution. They bundled the bill with others, making it an all-or-nothing vote.
“We put together what we kind of call a crime bundle,” Rep. Stephen Owens (R) District 74 said. “And it was it was five bills that were all Crime and Punishment related. And we put them in one conference committee report.”
The bundle is now sitting in Senate leadership’s hands.
“I think what both the Senate and the House agreed to in conference is a good package of legislation,” Rep. Jason Probst (D) Hutchinson said. “And so I’m hopeful that it was just a matter of time running out. I hope that when we get back for veto session, we can get that report signed and let the chamber’s vote on what will be life-saving legislation.”
Senator Cindy Holscher (D) District 8, says one of the reasons the test strip legalizing keeps getting blocked is because of a lack of education.
“The Senate has brought forward some roadblocks, and I will tell you we have a number of individuals in the senate, some of my peers, who do still believe the fentanyl strips are a form of paraphernalia and they encourage drug use,” Holscher said.
Representative William Clifford (R), District 122, says he has been working on how the bill is communicated.
“I’ve tried to change the language,” Rep. Clifford said. “I use the term drug poisoning now, not drug overdose.”
He says he presumes everything is contaminated with fentanyl.
“We’re poisoning kids who may be seeking an Adderall at college because they want to stay up all night to study, or if people are killed by these substances, it’s a death sentence, and they have no chance of recovery,” Rep. Clifford said.
Clifford also filed to run for senate so he could fight what he calls the next epidemic.
“The pandemic, in my mind, is the opioid epidemic,” Rep. Clifford said. It’s upon us, certainly here in southwest Kansas.”
Lawmakers are hopeful the legislation will pass.
“I’ll be hoping that it advances in the session this year, and I think the plan is that it will,” Sen. Kellie Warren (R) District 11 said.
“I’m really trying to remain optimistic,” Rep. Owens said. “I mean, we’ve really done a lot of work and come together, and this is a very important topic for the house members. Again, unanimously passing Republicans and Democrats, that’s incredible.”
The Senate needs to sign the conference committee report, then it’ll go to the House and Senate for a final vote. If it passes both, it’ll make its way to Governor Laura Kelly’s desk.
Lawmakers say now is the time to reach out to your legislators and voice concerns before the veto session begins on April 24.
KSN contacted the five people who voted yes, preventing the legalization of fentanyl test strips, but none of them would do an interview.