The Kentucky Safer Act has made its way through the House and now heads to the Senate for consideration, and local legislators think it has good support.
Speaking with WHOP News, Representative Myron Dossett says he did vote for the measure because he wants to ensure a safer Kentucky for all citizens—one thing he likes is the “three-strikes” portion of the bill, which would make to so individuals who are convicted of three separate violent crimes will receive the maximum penalty.
It’s heading to the Senate, where Senator Whitney Westerfield says there’s still things in the bill that he’s not sold on that he thinks could benefit only those who can afford it.
The Safer Kentucky Act would bring widespread change to criminal law in the commonwealth by instituting harsher penalties for repeat, violent felony offenders and other crimes. Individuals who sell or distribute fentanyl and cause a fatal overdose could be charged with manslaughter under the amended version of House Bill 5 instead of capital murder.
The amendment also further clarifies Kentucky’s Good Samaritan law, Bauman said. This ensures individuals who seek aid for someone experiencing an overdose would not be criminally charged in relation to the overdose.
It would also criminalize unlawful camping in Kentucky, making it a misdemeanor on second offense or subsequent offense. The amended bill, however, would permit houseless individuals to sleep in a vehicle parked lawfully on a public road, street or parking lot for a period of less than 12 hours.