OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — House Bill 2153, signed by Governor Kevin Stitt this week, among other things, changes a fourth drug possession conviction from a misdemeanor to a felony.
It’s an amendment to State Question 780, passed by Oklahoma voters in 2016, which reclassified drug possession and some property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors.
Rogers County Sheriff talked to 2 News:
“State question 780 and 781—decriminalizing drugs—put us further behind in a fight we were already behind in,”
Walton has long-criticized the passage of 780 because he says it decreases their ability to fight bigger crimes.
Wagoner County Sheriff Chris Elliott calls Oklahoma’s current system the most liberal drug laws in the country.
“You can get arrested every day for the rest of your life for possession of heroin, cocaine, meth and it never turns into a felony,” said Elliott. “If there is no fear of arrest and incarceration there is no fear of an arrest.”
780 was also passed before the devastating rise in fentanyl abuse. Walton says fentanyl-related cases consume his department. Although he applauds the latest effort with the passing of HB 2153, he doesn’t think it goes far enough.
“You’ve used a lot of drugs before you get three convictions,” said Walton. “This is a step in the right direction, but this is one grain of sand on the beach.”
Proponents of 780 argue that jail is the wrong place for substance abuse disorders and that they should get mental health treatment instead.
Elliott says those options have been available even before 780, but often the addicts wouldn’t complete the program and would end up in jail as a result.
The new law takes effect November 1, 2023.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Twitter
