A bill that would target drug dealers from neighboring states earned near universal approval in the House on Wednesday, with Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) praising its aim.
“I think this is a good step for us to take, especially for those like the sponsor who represent districts very near to other states,” Demmer said. “We know that drug dealers don’t respect state lines. We know that drugs that are brought into the state of Illinois have very severe and very dire consequences.”
SB639, known as the Evan Rush Law, amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to allow a person who unlawfully delivers a controlled substance from another state to be prosecuted in Illinois in cases of drug-related homicide.
The measure was introduced by Rep. Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) in response to the death by overdose of a young Glen Carbon man, but the drug dealer could not be charged because he was in St. Louis.
Illinois has received more than $16 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service to fight its opioid crisis. In 2015, Cook County alone suffered 609 opioid-related deaths, 403 of which were in Chicago. Illinois saw a 22 percent increase in heroin-related overdoses from 2013 to 2014.
Demmer said that giving prosecutors more power to charge drug dealers is a great way to help curb the drug problem.
“Giving this tool to prosecutors to make sure that we can hold accountable people who bring illicit drugs into the state of Illinois no matter where they are sold is one way that we can continue to fight against these kinds of substances that are causing so much heartbreak in districts across the state,” Demmer said. “I appreciate you bringing this bill, representative. I encourage a ‘yes’ vote.”
SB639 passed the House 105-2.
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